Stolen Way
by DeadRunway
Summary: One night, many lives. In one attack, Namine and Kairi's lives are destroyed. Everything they know is broken. But they are saved by a ragtag crew of pirates whose captain wants to use them as his pawns. Betrayal. Hurt. Anger. Love? SxK NxR
1. Prologue

**Heeelllooo! Okay, so I've decided to work on a new story for a bit before I go on and work on my other two. This chapter is the Prologue, and it's told by Lia, an OC and also Namine and Kairi's mama. It does have some dramatic foreshadowing, and for that I apologize. I couldn't resist! But… please read it and enjoy it and with any luck the next chapter will be up by today or tomorrow! **

**DISCLAIMER: **

**Sora: Ooooh lemme say it, lemme say it, LEMME SAY IT! **

**Runway: *sigh* Go ahead, honey.**

**Sora: *ahem* DEADRUNWAY DOES NOT OWN ANY OF THE FOLLOWING PLACES OR CHARACTERS USED IN THIS STORY. EXCEPT FOR LIA AND ANDREI. BUT THEY DON'T COUNT. I THINK. OKAY READ THE STORY LOVE YOU BYE!**

**Lia (Namine & Kairi's Mother) POV**

Fire was the main attraction the night we stopped in Twilight Town. Hayner, our best fire eater, had already taken his place in the middle of a ring of viewers.

He placed two long, thick sticks in front of him and sprinkled a bit of gasoline over the two ends secretively, whispering in the Olde Tongue to make it seem like he was coaxing the flame to life. Out of each sleeve, and hidden by the palm of his hand was a match, which he skillfully struck against the wood of each of the sticks, making them burst to flames.

My daughters, Namine and Kairi, laughed at the audience's wonder as their cousin began to dance with the fire.

Fire brought joy to many.

But this night, it also bred sorrow.

"Look, Nami! Aerith's begun the dance!" I heard Kairi cry over the audience's shouts. Sure enough, Aerith, the best dancer, had slipped in the circle with Hayner, and now the two were circling each other, Aerith smiling coyly, and Hayner trying to keep an eye on his fire while completing the complicated dance.

Aerith moved in close to him, and then darted away again. He threw his torch around him in a circle, inviting her to dare to dance with it. He threw one torch to a young fire apprentice, Pence, and kept the other making intricate passes around he and Aerith's bodies as they danced.

The audience was completely silent as they stared wonderingly at the pair.

I removed my eyes from the dancers and looked at my daughters, who were now dancing with the two young men who were their most promising suitors. Kairi laughed with delight as Tidus lifted her off the ground by her waist and spun her around. Namine was dancing shyly with Riku, her cheeks as red as the summer rose.

"My love! Will you not join the dancing?" I turned to see my husband, Andrei, smiling with his arms wide. He pulled me to my feet and straightened my head scarf. "My love," he whispered, "Be happy on this night." And he pulled me to the group of our dancing kinfolk.

Our last happy night.

**Ehh… too dramatic? I think it was... but then again that's Lia's personality. She's a fortune teller and very, very, dramatic. But… otherwise? Good? Huh? Tell me? Okay please REVIEW! Thanks much!**

**Sora: IF YOU REVIEW I GIVE YOU COOKIE! UNLESS YOU'RE ALLERGIC TO COOKIE! THEN I GIVE YOU ICE CREAM! BUT IF YOU'RE LACTOSE INTOLERANT…. I GIVE YOU… UHM….. PAUPOU FRUIT! YAAAAY!**


	2. The Night of Our Lives

**Hey! Chapter numero UNO! Just a quick piece of info to clear a few questions from Sovereign Beta (who reviewed and is much loved!) Lia is not going to be narrating the whole chapter, she just did the Prologue because I couldn't come up with any other way to write it. And I do apologize for the shortness of that chapter…. My bad….. Here comes the rest! I'm not sure I like it very much… so be prepared if I randomly take it down and redo it. **

**Disclaimer:**

**Axel: MY TURN! DeadRunway does not own any of the following places nor people except for those that you've never heard of in any of the Kingdom Hearts Games. Got it memorized?**

**DeadRunway: Thank you, Axel. And because Sora has passed out from another sugar rush, I present Sovereign Beta with a large basket of cookies! And 4ever, thank you so much for faving I really appreciate it! XD**

**On with the story!**

"You're beautiful, Namine." Riku whispered. Namine blushed scarlet. Again. He was so handsome… and strong… and kind…

You would think that he would be the man she would fall in love with. He should be the man she would fall in love with. But there was something… Something about his smile that made her think of a fox. Something about the way he moved that made her-

_Whoosh_

Namine laughed out loud as he picked her up by her waist and twirled her in the air. The wind sung through her hair and made her smile involuntarily. As he set her feet back on the ground she glanced over at her sister, whose skirts swirled as she danced with Tidus. Namine smiled. Kairi was beautiful. Tonight she wore her favorite skirt, the pink one with the embroidered swirls, and a white shirt identical to Namine's, that had puff sleeves that exposed her shoulders and a low neckline with drooping lace.

Namine looked down at her own skirt, the light blue of it discolored from the dust; her darker blue satin sash with the jingling coins had a coffee stain. Surely she couldn't be the one Riku wanted.

"Namine?" Riku asked, looking down at her. She looked up and smiled sweetly.

"Yes?" she whispered, shy.

"Let's get out of here. We'll go somewhere quiet to talk. Is that alright?" He had that fox smile again.

Namine looked over at Kairi, who was still dancing. She wouldn't miss her if she left. Neither would her mother, Lia, she was dancing with Father. Namine looked back at Riku, who had dropped his hands from her waist. She took his hand, and squeezed it.

Together they snuck away to the Twilight Woods.

The air was laced with smoke, spices, and the smell of the fast approaching autumn. The leaves of the trees were already turning brilliant red and orange. The hue of the forest was like that of a sunset.

**Namine POV**

Riku was running, half dragging me behind him. I was laughing and breathless. It was kind of exciting, you know? To be running away from everyone with a boy you loved.

Or should love. Were expected to love.

"Riku!" I called between peals of laughter. "Where are we going?"

He just laughed. "C'mon princess! Move faster!"

And we ran, leaping over roots, dodging branches, laughing and panting together.

"Stop!" Riku called, stopping in front of me. He grabbed me by the waist as I skidded to a halt. "Stop." He said again, whispering this time. He took one hand off my waist and touched my face. I shivered.

No man besides my father had ever held me. They always went after Kairi.

I sighed.

Kairi.

Kairi with her perfect, lovely auburn hair, beautiful eyes so blue they were almost purple.

It's wrong for a sister to be jealous. But how could I not be jealous of the beautiful sister? The daring sister? The one who went out to dance with the rich boys from the towns we visited while I sat home and sewed?

Surely Riku wanted her. Didn't he?

"Namine…." He whispered, touching my hair.

Oh, God.

He was leaning towards my face, we were inches apart. His eyes were only half slits.

Oh, God.

He closed his eyes and moved even more towards my face.

Oh, my dear sweet God!

He was going to kiss me.

I wanted to remember everything. His silver hair that was softly tousled from the run and the wind. His tan skin that wasn't work worn or weathered in the least. His dark leather breeches and soft white shirt. His smell. That scent of apple wood and smoke.

I closed my eyes and leaned my face toward his. Closer… and closer… we were almost touching….

_**CRASH**_

**3****rd**** person POV**

Namine's heart flew into her throat. She was so scared she couldn't even scream. Riku instinctively grabbed her and pulled her to the ground just as two horsemen leaped over them.

The first man leaned over the side of his bay horse and snatched Riku by the hair, dragging him for a few feet. "Say goodbye!" he screamed and raised a rusty looking cutlass and swiftly sliced through the air. The blow landed on Riku's neck.

Namine felt warm blood splatter her and she screamed. The second man leaned over and grabbed her waist, hoisted her onto his horse, and rode.

"No!" Namine screamed, beating him with her fists. The man had on thick leather armor, not unlike those worn by the Samurai of old. Her hits did nothing but anger him. He snatched her arm and put a dirk up to her neck.

"One more move, love, and this bloody knife slits yer pretty little neck." He whispered. He smelled of whiskey and excrement.

Namine bit his hand as hard as she could, until she tasted blood in her mouth. The man howled and turned her loose, and she toppled off the horse, landing with a hard thump.

The men turned and rode, leaving her for dead, and her world slowly turned to black.

**Kairi POV**

Tidus lifted me up again and swirled me around him. He was dressed in leather breeches and was barefoot and shirtless. It was amazing, to be in his arms. He smelled like cinnamon and apple flavored tobacco, and oh my Lord he was strong!

"You're amazing!" he laughed as we danced. I was intoxicated from the honey-sweet night, the warm wine mixed with milk, the spiced pecan cake… and most of all Tidus. This night was perfect.

"Kairi." He said, stopping me, mid-twirl. I looked at him questioningly. "There's a question I must ask you. I have already spoken to your father…"

He spoke to my father? He wasn't, he couldn't possibly… Was he?

Marriage?

He pulled me to one side, away from the frenzied crowd of dancers.

"Kairi, I wanted to ask you-"

Screams erupted behind us. I turned around and saw people running, screaming, tripping, moving as fast as they could to get away from whatever it was that was chasing them.

Then I saw.

It was a troop of men in dark leather armor, carrying rusty swords and crossbows, they were all laughing wildly.

Through their helmets, I could see their red, hateful eyes.

"Kairi, RUN!" Tidus screamed at me. But I couldn't move. I just stared.

My mother was running with the crowd, screaming, my father was in a group of men who were running towards the troop, waving old swords saved from the War.

Tidus grabbed my arm and yanked me in the opposite direction, just as the troop of men broke through the crown, trampling all in sight.

"MOTHER!" I screamed. "Mother! No! MOTHER!"

"Kairi! Come ON!" Tidus snatched me and we ran, me screaming my mother's name the whole way.

**3****rd**** Person POV **

The world was in chaos. Everywhere you turned, there were men being killed, women being raped, children being beaten, goods being stolen, the wagons being overturned and pillaged. Screams filled the air, and the laughter of the men who were causing it.

Kairi and Tidus ran until Kairi's feet couldn't carry her anymore. "Tidus wait! I can't! I can't! Mother… I can't!" she sobbed.

He didn't say anything. He just heaved her over his shoulder and ran, his heart beating wildly against his bare chest.

Kairi cried into his skin, beating weakly on his back with her fists, crying "Mother", "Father", and "Nami" between sobs.

"Ahh!" Tidus yelled, sinking to his knees. Kairi fell off his shoulder and rolled away.

"Tidus?" she whispered. He looked at her and smiled weakly. "Run." **(AN: God, again with the drama… sorry!)**

She did. She ran as fast as she could.

As she turned a corner, a man with a large dagger smiled at her. He dealt a blow to the side of her head, and she was unconscious before she hit the ground.

**3****rd**** Person POV**

The _Luminata _was anchored near the coast of Twilight Town, the moon was shining on the waters and on the deck. A tall dark figure leaned over the railing, staring out into the waves.

"Captain." The figure, a tall blonde boy with blue eyes, turned at the sound of a voice.

"Yeah, Demyx?" he said, fingering the hilt of his sword at his waist.

The shorter man was dressed in a black cloak, carrying a blue sitar. He sighed. "There's been an attack on the Mainland. The Queen's men."

"Damn!" The blonde man said, banging his fist on the rails. "Go get Luxord, Xigbar, Axel, Saix, and Sora. They come with me to the mainland. We'll see if there are any survivors. Maybe, since the Queen wanted them dead so much, she'll make a trade with us. A few of the victims in exchange for Xion."

Demyx ran a hand through his spiky hair. "Ay ay, Captain Roxas." He said resignedly. "Right away, sir."

**Meehh. My gosh… I really don't like this… I feel like its all soap opera-ish and too dramatic and just… eesh. Like I'm trying too hard. **

**Well… REVIEW! Thanks!**

**~DeadRunway**


	3. The Only Survivors

**Okay! I just have to throw this is here: Sovereign Beta, You are loved and appreciated for your review! XD **

**Sora: COOKIES! *throws a huge, ginormous, chocolate chip cookie to SB***

**And I love the faves and story alerts, but people! I feel all unsupported unless you review! So please review! **

**Sora: The Review button loves you!**

**Yes. Yes it does. It loves you very much. Love it back! Click on it and write me something!**

**Oh, and I need to clear something up in case there was any confusion: Tidus was struck in the chest by an arrow, it hit his heart. That's how he died. I totally skipped that part and I apologize. Now. **

**ON WITH THE NEXT CHAPTER!**

Twilight Town was a pile of rags, rubble, and bodies. Roxas and his group picked up the wrist of each person and felt for a pulse, almost desperate for a living being. They searched through every wagon and in every building, but so far they'd found no one.

"Captain!" a voice called. Roxas turned around to see Saix carrying a young girl in a pink skirt towards him. "She's alive, sir." Saix said lowly.

Roxas held out his arms and took the girl away from Saix. She was beautiful, with auburn hair and pale lovely skin. What a pity to give her away to the Queen for whatever terrors she had in store.

"Good." Roxas smiled. He placed her on the ground at his feet and slipped his cloak off his shoulders. As he laid it over her body, he called to Sora. "Go get Marluxia and Larxene. See if there's any healing that needs to be done. Then rejoin the search. If we give the Queen two prisoners, she should certainly give us Xion in return."

Sora sighed. "Alright." He said, turning away.

"Sora." Roxas said softly. Sora turned back around, steadily meeting his Captain's eyes. "You're my brother, but you still have to refer to me as 'Captain' in the presence of my men." Roxas' voice was steady, and deadly serious.

Sora nodded curtly. "Ay ay, _Captain_." He said, emotionless. Then he turned around, and disappeared into the night.

"Don't worry, Xion." Roxas mumbled to the night. "We're coming for you."

**3****rd**** Person POV, the Queen's Dungeons**

The room was dark, the room was cold, the room was made to make any person, living or dead, as miserable as possible.

And it did its job well.

In the middle of the room there was a cold stone table covered with cruel metal instruments and devices of torture. Against the damp stone walls there were dog kennels full of the decaying bodies of their human inhabitants. Their smell filled the room, along with the sweetish, nasty scent of mold and rotting things.

In a corner on a stone slab **(AN: Think of the table Arya was on in the movie Eragon while the Shade dude [don't remember his name] was torturing her.) **was an unconscious girl with her wrists and ankles tied to the table. She had glossy, jet black hair in a pixie cut and delicate features. She was dressed in an ugly brown dress that resembled a coarse piece of burlap that had been wrapped around her body and tied at the waist with a thin rope. The smooth, white skin on her arms and legs was marred with pink scars of all shapes and sizes. But even in these terrible conditions, and even in unconsciousness, she managed to look dignified and queenly.

The heavy wooden door slammed open and a tall, regal woman in a midnight blue gown and a crown entered the dungeon. She was beautiful, but the evil light to her brown eyes and the sinister curve to her red lips made her look unholy and wrong. Like a demon queen.

Behind her were two stooped crones, with white scraggly hair and twisted faces. "Wake her." The regal woman commanded.

The crones cackled and took two small, twisted knives out of the sleeves of their black habits. Laughing with delight they began to carve the black haired girl's legs until her eyes flew open and she screamed in pain. The women laughed again and started to slice her again but the regal woman stopped them.

"Are you now ready to speak, my dear?" she asked, a wicked gleam in her eye. The girl remained silent, her eyes staring at the stony ceiling. "Ah, come now child. You can give yourself freedom you know. If only you tell me what I wish to know." The girl still stayed silent. "I know what you wish the most…" the regal woman continued, pacing back and forth in front of the table. "You wish to be with your Roxas." The girl flinched. "Yes, that's it. Your Roxas. That precious little blonde sea rat… You can be with him, you know. If only you tell me where your father is hiding…." She stopped pacing and moved towards the girl, taking her face in her hand.

"If you tell me, I'll give you back to your precious Roxas, and you can sail off into the sunset with him and be happy… forever. But you must tell me…" She squeezed the girl's face lovingly, as if petting a much loved child.

The girl spat in her face.

The woman dropped the girl and screamed in rage. "Have it your way, then! I'll see that you stay here forever! Muerta! Decessa!" The two crones jumped at their names being called.

"Yesss, My Queen?" they hissed.

"Do what you will with her. I'll see if she changes her mind after a night of torture." The woman said, flouncing across the room and yanking the door open. Muerta and Decessa cackled and brandished their knives. "Goodnight, dearest Xion." The Queen said sweetly. As she slammed the door behind her, she heard Xion's screams mixing with the crones' cackles.

**3****rd**** Person POV, Twilight Town**

Marluxia bent over Kairi's body, checking her pulse, feeling for broken bones and taking note of her shallow breathing. Larxene applied ointments to her abrasions and handed Marluxia bandages for her broken wrist.

Roxas watched them and made sure that Larxene wasn't causing trouble. For once, her sadism seemed to evaporate as she helped with the healing process.

"Sir!" Roxas looked up to see a tall man with fiery red hair approach him. He was carrying a blonde girl in a dirty, bloodstained white shirt and blue skirt and walking carefully so as not to disturb her. "I found this girl in the woods. She was next to a boy… He had been beheaded. But she still breathes."

"Good job, Axel." Roxas said, pounding his friend on the back. "Set her on the ground next to the other one."

Axel did so, and swung off his own cloak to serve as a covering. He peered down at the two girl's faces. "Captain," he began slowly. "I think these are sisters. Maybe even twins."

Roxas looked down at the girls. "Hm." He said. "Maybe the fact that they're related will mean more to the Queen. I don't know how, but possibly it will." He turned to Sora, who had walked up to the group while they were examining the girls. "That all?" he asked.

"Yes sir. Those two are the only survivors. Not a woman, man or baby was spared."

"Alright. Load these two up on the ship! It'll take us 2 to 3 weeks to get to the Queen's Isle, and maybe even a few more days to get to the actual Castle. Scavenge what provisions you can from the wreckage, and we sail at dawn!" He bent over and picked up one of the girls, motioning for Sora to pick up the other. He did so gently, and then marched along behind his brother to the _Luminata_.

**Good? Bad? Ugly? Review and let me know! Oh, and in case anyone wanted to know, yes Muerta and Decessa's names have meanings. Muerta is 'death' in Spanish, and Decessa means 'deceased' in Italian.**

**Roxas: Yo. Review, please! Lemme know what you think of me! **

**Other Characters: Ahem.**

**Roxas: Aw, alright… them too! **

**REVIEW! **

**~DeadRunway**


	4. Welcome Aboard the Luminata, Loves

**DUDE! I swear these things look longer on Word! I'm so sorry about how short the chapters are…. The last one was like 4 pages then it gets on fanny and it's like, one page. Mnaaahh! **

**But anyways, cookie time!**

**CaramelCoveredSunset: Thank you for reviewing! You are loved! Sora, give her a cookie!**

**Sora: Coooookieeee! *slings a giant triple fudge cookie to CaramelCoveredSunset***

**And NinjaJynx, thanks so much for the fave! **

**Thank you for reviewing! I appreciate it! Moving on!**

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN KINGDOM HEARTS OR ANY CHARACTERS OR PLACES USED IN THIS STORY! **

**On with the next chapter!**

"Uhgnnn…." Namine moaned. God, what happened last night? Her head was pounding. A sharp rapping sound made its way to her ears. That was father, waking her up to help mother cook breakfast.

"Just a minute, Father." She whispered. Her tongue felt like lead, her lips were chapped and could barely form words. Her whole body was bruised and sore. The knocking continued. "Father… I'll be up in a few minutes…" she whispered. The knocking persisted. She rolled her aching body out of bed and stood up.

The floor gave a sudden lurch and her feet were swept out from under her. She landed heavily on her knees, panting. "W...water…" she moaned. Her stomach twisted and she dry-heaved there on the floor.

The door burst open and a tall man with fiery red hair and emerald eyes looked down at her. "Aw, gawd…" he muttered, covering his face with his hand. "Hey, Dem!" he called over his shoulder. "Clean up on Aisle 7!"

"Huh?" a shorter guy with a spiky Mohawk/mullet thing said, walking up behind him. "Aw, c'mon!" he whined when he saw Namine. Axel pulled off one of his black leather gloves and felt her forehead.

"Go get Marly. She's burning up. Then have Larxene grab her some more clothes. She's ruined these," he said, motioning to Namine's shirt and skirt, which were covered with vomit. "Grab some water too!" he called as Demyx retreated.

"C'mon, honey." He whispered to Namine. "Upsy-daisy."

He lifted her up off the ground and laid her back down on the bed. She shivered as he let go of her and pulled up the covers. On the other side of the bed, her sister's eyes began to flutter open. She looked around her, taking in the rough wooden walls, the rustic rag rugs and the wooden sea-chest. "W-who are you?" she said, her mouth struggling to make the words.

"I'm Axel. First mate on the beautiful ship, the _Luminata_. Which is going to be your home for a few weeks, love." He said with a wink.

"Don't be silly." Kairi said. "I have a home. We live in a wagon, on a caravan with my cousins and aunts and uncles. I live with my father and m-" she stopped abruptly. Her eyes widened. "Mother…" she whispered. "Mother's dead…"

Axel winced. He ran a hand through his red spikes and looked away briefly. "Yeah, well." He said nonchalantly. "We all have our share of problems." He looked back at Kairi. Her eyes were flooded with tears and she was silently sobbing into her hands.

"No, no, no, no, no, no!" he cried, panicking. "Don't cry! It's okay, don't cry!" He looked around wildly. "Where is Sora when you need him?" he ran out the door. "Sora! Sora!" he yelled. "Sora! Crying female! Sora!"

Sora looked over at Axel, who was jumping up and down waving his hands wildly. "Oh, lord." Sora mumbled. He walked over to the clearly panicking first mate. "What's up?" he asked, unconcerned.

Axel jumped up and down, gesturing wildly to the cabin behind him. "Girl! Crying! Confused! I think I made it worse! HELP!"

Sora sighed. "Dude." He said. "Fail. Epic woman fail." He turned around to see the redheaded girl curled up next to the still asleep blonde girl. "Hey." He said walking over to the redhead. "What's your name, honey?"

She sniffled. "K-Kairi. My name's Kairi."

He smiled at her. "That's a pretty name. A really pretty name. "

Kairi smiled shyly. "What's your name?"

"I'm Sora, second-mate on the _Luminata_." He puffed his chest out proudly, making Kairi giggle. "You're going to like it a lot here." He said, putting an arm around her shoulder. "Everyone's really nice, with the exception of Larxene, Xigbar, Xaldin, Saix, and my brother Roxas when he's in one of his moods." He said, ticking off people on his fingers. "Marluxia's our healer. He's cool. Luxord doesn't say much, but he's a big gambler. Larxene-"

"What about Larxene?" a high, cold voice said from the doorway.

Sora stiffened up automatically. "Larxene is a wonderful fighter and very beautiful and quite kind."

"Aww." The owner of the voice said. She sauntered into the room leisurely. She was dressed in black leather pants, a black silk top styled like those from the Land of Dragons **(AN: Chinese silk shirts with no sleeves and high collars)**, and high black boots. "You're sweet." She pinched Sora's cheek roughly. "But now you have to leave. 'Cause pretty little blondie here got sick all over herself and has to be put in clean clothes. And this redhead might as well have something other than that flimsy skirt. So out." She placed her hands on Sora's chest and shoved him out the door.

Kairi stared at this tall, blonde whirlwind as she threw a pair of dark leather pants and boots at her. "You can use the shirt you're wearing." She said, motioning with her hand. "Help me get this one up."

Namine was starting to come around, but she was still very disoriented. Kairi untied her sash and took off the soiled skirt while Larxene pulled off the bloodstained shirt. Very gently, they put Namine in a white long sleeve shirt that fell off her shoulders with eyelet lace at the hem and a black peasant skirt.

"These aren't your clothes, are they?" Kairi asked tentatively.

"Yes, they are. But I don't wear them. I don't do skirts or eyelet and the pants and boots were too small." Larxene answered briskly. She slipped Namine's own black slippers back on her feet. "Marluxia, the healer, is outside the door to see you both. He'll give her something to make her some around and he'll check the bandaging on your wrist. Then, right away the Captain requests you in his cabin." She stood up, then turned on her heel and stalked out of the room.

Right as she left, a tall man with pinkish hair and a kind smile stepped in. "Hello. I am Marluxia, the _Luminata's _healer." He walked towards the bed and gestured to Kairi's hurt wrist. "May I?" he inquired softly.

Kairi nodded and handed him her wrist. He unwound the bandaging and examined the bruising around the break. "It seems to be healing cleanly." He said, winding her wrist back up. "Now, let's make your sister come around, eh?"

Kairi nodded silently, watching as he opened up a black bag and took out a small vial of purple liquid. "Hold her head for me please." He said. Kairi did so. He gently opened Namine's mouth and tipped the vial, sending the liquid trickling down her throat.

Instantly, Namine started choking and spluttering, her eyes open wide. "Welcome to the _Luminata_, Nami." Kairi said weakly.

"Good." Marluxia said, standing up. "Now that you're both awake, you can come with me to visit out illustrious captain." He motioned for them both to stand and he quickly marched out of the room, leaving behind a slightly annoyed Kairi to support a trembling Namine.

**3****rd**** Person POV, Roxas' Cabin**

"So… D'you actually think the Queen's gonna go for this? The whole trading the twin Gypsies for Xion thing?" Axel asked, running a hand through his spikes.

"It has to. It's the only way." Roxas answered. The two sat alone in the Captain's quarters, Axel playing darts while Roxas lounged, eyes closed, in a soft Asian chaise, taken from the Land of Dragons on their last pillage.

Roxas decided that for his meeting with the two Gypsies, he would play the dangerous Captain character. First impressions, after all, were everything, right? So he wore a pair of black breeches and high-heeled black boots, polished to a high shine. His shirt was black silk and had silver fastenings, but the shirt was unfastened halfway, so to show off his chest.

You could say he was a little vain.

He had one ruby earring and a wine colored hat with a large, curling white feather in the side. He felt he cut a dashing figure.

Axel threw another dart. "I mean, Xion's not even a part of the crew… she's just a girl!"

Roxas opened one eye. "The girl I'm going to marry, Axel."

Axel laughed out loud at this. "You! Marry? Oh please! You're not the marrying type, Rox. You're the type to love 'em and leave 'em. Not take a trip to the altar with 'em!"

"Don't you ever get tired of pirating, Axel? Tired of the Queen's men always hunting you down? If you settle down and become a citizen, she stops all that."

"Yes, my friend, but then there's the taxes, and the wiping out of the villages. Those two girls have lost everything! Do you honestly want that to be your daughters one day?"

"Don't be stupid. I'm not having daughters. I'm having strapping boys! Not idle little girls!"

"Yeah, you say that now. But I know you, Roxas. If your wife does have a girl, the minute you look into her big eyes, you'll be hooked. And she'll be your favorite girl in the world."

Roxas opened his mouth to say something, but was interrupted by a sharp knock at the door. "Enter." He said coolly, crossing his feet at the ankles, closing his eyes and putting his hands behind his head.

Marluxia swung open the door, followed by two pale, scared looking girls.

"Ah." Roxas said, shifting his body to face them. "The two little captives. Get them seats Axel."

Axel obediently pulled two red ottomans over for the girls to sit on. Kairi carefully helped Namine sit and then sat down herself, clinging to her sister's hand.

"Welcome aboard, dearies!" Roxas said heartily, standing up, sweeping his hat off his head and bowing graciously. "I trust you slept well?" he asked, settling back down onto his chaise.

Kairi nodded. "Your accommodations were most kind, sir." She said politely.

He smiled. "Good. Now, loves, what would your names be?"

Namine sat up straighter and opened her mouth before Kairi had time to speak. "I am Namine Daniela Arcos, and this is my twin sister, Kairi Oana Arcos. We are the daughters of the Gypsy King and Queen, Andrei and Lia Arcos."

"Impressive heritage…" Roxas mused. "Well, gentlemen, we stand corrected. These are not just simple nomadic urchins. They are Gypsy Roses."

Kairi looked down at her hands. "Why do you keep us here?" she asked without looking up. "What are we to you? Why did you save us?"

"Milady," Roxas said, standing to his feet. "We have a sense of nobility."

"Nobility, sir? Or do you have a use for us?" Namine said, looking down at her hands also.

"Use? What kind of use would we have for the likes of **you**?" Roxas said coldly.

"Well there must be something. I doubt even you and your noble crew are so goodhearted as to take in two helpless orphans." Namine said, looking up at him through her bangs.

"Can you not just accept the fact that we saved you and are now letting you board on our lovely ship?" Roxas asked, tilting his hat down over his eyes and leaning back into his chaise.

"I could accept the fact if I thought that pirates had a sense of nobility."

Roxas slowly took his hat off his eyes and sat up. "I assure you, Miss," he said, voice low and dangerous. "That we have no intentions of using you for anything. You are here simply out of the kindness of our black hearts. You may leave." He turned and lay back down, pulling his hat back over his eyes.

**I do love Roxas…. He is wonderful XD**

**So… did you like it? I'm kinda working fast here, but I hope that's not messing up my writing any. Anyways. REVIEW! PLEASE! I'M BEGGING! **

**Really. Please review. I feel all unloved and stuff.**

**THANKS!**

**~DeadRunway**


	5. The Illustrious Captain Roxas

**Helloooo! Thanks so much for the people who reviewed! Yall are loved! Sora! Give them cookies!**

**Sora: To CaramelCoveredSunset! *throws cookie***

**Roxas: That's not nice! I look sexy in my big hat! *frowny face***

**Sora: No you don't. You look like and eejit now shut up and lemme finish passing out these god dang cookies! pichucherrimteam! A new reviewer! Thanks much! I LOVE YOU! *throws cookie***

**Axel: Sovereign Beta, thank you for understanding my skepticism. *bows***

**Sora: You get a big cookie! *throws cookie***

**Mkay! Are we good? Yes? GOOD! MOVING ON!**

**3****rd**** Person POV**

"Well. That went well." Kairi mumbled.

"He's conceited and nothing but a strutting rooster and I hope we see him drown!" Namine yelled, jerking her hand free from Kairi's.

Marluxia turned and looked over his shoulder. "Hush." He said firmly. "The Captain was most kind rescuing you. Without his help you would've died along with your fellow kinsman."

"And why would that be so awful?" Kairi asked, tears choking her voice. Her mind was full of images of her mother, her father, and… Tidus…

"Because what use are you to anyone if you are dead?" Marluxia said, turning around. He took Kairi by the shoulders. "Your mother would've wanted you to live." He whispered.

Namine snorted. "Yes, but what kind of life is this? Trapped on a smelly ship, with nothing but a ragged crew, a stuck up captain, and no land for miles!"

"A little bitter, my dear?" Marluxia asked kindly. He wrapped an arm around Namine's shoulder. "Roxas wasn't always that bad, you know. He used to be very fun loving, very kind."

"What happened?"

"His love, Princess Xion, was stolen away from him by Queen Acantha, the same woman who ordered Twilight Town destroyed."

Namine laughed. "Roxas? In love? He seems the type for lust, not love."

Marluxia smiled gravely. "Losing the one you want most hurts your soul, young Mistress. And when Roxas lost the Princess… his soul was damaged beyond repair."

"Why did the Queen steal the Princess?" Kairi asked, intrigued by this real life romance.

Marluxia stopped walking and sighed. "The Queen took her because Xion's father, King Cheng-Gong of the Land of Dragons, was also a sorcerer, trained by Master Yen Sid himself. He knew the secret to giving her ultimate power over the entire world, to make her Empress of all living things. And the Queen is just as power hungry and selfish as she is beautiful. She hunted for the King for 13 days, and on the 13th night, her spies told her that he had disappeared without a trace.

"The Queen flew into a rage and ordered ships full of the strongest men to go and capture Princess Xion, the favorite daughter of King Cheng-Gong. And when the spies brought her back, she proceeded to torture Xion for information. That was 6 months ago. Roxas has been cocky, dangerous, bad tempered and unpredictable since then."

Namine and Kairi stared at him. So this was the story behind the illustrious Captain Roxas.

"How did he even know Xion? What does a rebel pirate have to do with a princess?" Namine asked impatiently.

"My dear, Roxas wasn't always a rebel pirate." Marluxia explained. "He used to be the Prince of Hollow Bastion, his father is King Alasdair."

**3****rd**** Person, Queen Acantha's Dungeons**

Xion lay on the hard stone table, eyes closed. She could feel the blood oozing out of the wounds on her calves, forearms, hands and feet. _How will Roxas ever want me now? _She thought. _Now that I'm ugly and scarred? _

A loud creaking from the door hinges woke her from her thoughts.

"Yoo hoo! Xion, my dear!" Acantha called from the doorway. Xion could hear her wicked smile seeping into her voice. "I've been SO looking forward to our meeting today." Acantha continued, walking into the chamber slowly. "Are you comfortable? I'm sure Muerta and Decessa were wonderful company for you last night."

Xion didn't say anything. She kept her eyes closed and her breathing controlled and even.

"Ah, come now darling, surely you have _something _to tell me?" Acantha coaxed, running her long ruby nails over Xion's face.

Keeping her eyes closed, Xion replied, "Go to hell, Acantha."

Acantha smiled. "My dear," she said, bending over towards Xion's ear. "I'll tell you a secret: We're already there." That being said, she stood up and marched out of the room, slamming the door behind her.

**Sora POV**

"Look, Roxas, you can't just keep them on board without them knowing what we're trying to do with them!" I persisted. God, my brother could be so STUPID.

"And why not? If we tell them that we're trading them away to the evil Queen Acantha to get the Princess of the Land of Dragons back, they'll cry or commit suicide, or something of the like." Roxas said, obviously bored. He tried on a different silk robe from the pile that was on his bed. "I think I like the blue one, don't you?"

I ignored him. "Roxas, what if you or I, or Axel, or Demyx, or someone gets attached to one of them? Then what do we do?"

"Say screw affection and give them away anyway."

I sighed. Was he really that thick? "If we're screwing affection then we might as well give up on the quest for your precious Xion's freedom and go back home to Hollow Bastion!"

Roxas spun around to face me. "Never speak of giving up on Xion to me again. I love her!"

"Do you? Or do you just love her face?"

"Get out." He said, voice low and dangerous.

"Roxas listen to me," I began.

He took me by my doublet and shoved me towards the door. "Get out!" he roared, pushing me through the door and slamming it in my face.

I leaned against the door and sighed. What happened to my brother? The fun loving, daring, wild, kind brother, who refused to let any slave in the castle be whipped, no matter his crime? Our own mother wouldn't recognize him anymore. God knows I didn't.

I pushed myself off the door and went in search of our little Gypsy Princesses.

**3****rd**** Person, On Deck of the **_**Luminata**_

Sora walked up on deck to see Kairi and Namine leaning over the railing, staring at a dolphin as she wove in and out of the water.

"Hey!" he called, waving to them. They waved back and flashed brilliant smiles at him. He jogged over and leaned against the rail between them, watching the dolphin.

"What is it?" Kairi asked wonderingly, as the dolphin jumped out of the water.

"You've never seen a dolphin before?" he asked, surprised. The girls shook their heads.

"We only went to the main squares in towns in our caravan. We've never been to the coast or near the ocean, except when we were very young." Namine said, eyes glued to the mammal.

"What towns have you visited?" Sora asked, intrigued.

"Oh lots of places." Kairi said, smiling. "Traverse Town, the Olympus Coliseum, the Land of Dragons, Hollow Bastion, and once to Neverland. That was the one time we saw the ocean. But we were too young to remember." She sighed, gazing out into the water.

"Riku remembered…" Namine whispered.

Sora looked at her quizzically. "Who's Riku?"

Kairi jumped in before Namine could answer. "Tidus was a friend. A very close friend." She said, looking at Sora with a hush-your-freaking-mouth-stupid look.

"Ah. I see…" Sora said quietly, leaning over the rail further. "Hey, do you two see that?"

"See what?" they said together, leaning far over the rail as they could.

"That right there. The big black thing. It's a whale."

They leaned out further stretching to see. Sora turned around and closed his eyes, still leaning on the rail. He thought about Hollow Bastion, how beautiful it was. How wonderful the dances were, how good the food was, and-

He jumped as his thoughts were interrupted by two piercing screams. He turned around just in time to see Kairi and Namine's heads disappear under the waves.

"SHIT!" He screamed. "HEY! HELP! SOMEBODY HELP! WOMEN OVERBOARD, WOMEN OVERBOARD!" He yanked his shirt over his head and pulled off his boots. "ROXAS! HELP ME!" He screamed to his brother, who was running out of his cabin. Sora climbed up on the rail, took a deep breath, and jumped.

Roxas swore and pulled off his own shirt and shoes before following his brother to the depths of the ocean.

**Namine's POV**

Cold. Cold and black. That was all I saw, all I felt. My lungs were bursting, and I couldn't hold on anymore.

I heard my mother's voice… she was singing… singing the lullaby she had sung to me and Kairi when we were babies.

_Baby's bed's a silver moon,_

_Sailing o'er the sky,_

_Sailing over the sea of sleep,_

_As the stars go by._

_Sail, baby, sail,_

_Far across the sea,_

_Only don't forget to come_

_Back again to me._

I'm coming mother… I'm coming…

Then my world went black.

**Roxas POV**

Mother Mary that water was cold!

I opened my eyes, ignoring the burning sensation from the salt water and tried to see those two foolish little girls.

Sora was a few feet ahead of me, steering himself upwards with his feet as he lugged an unconscious Kairi with him.

I looked around fervently. They had been down here for over a minute, and much longer and the other one would be dead. I searched the open water, trying to see anything that might be her. A black skirt, white shirt, a blonde head, a thin hand, anything!

She had to be found! I needed her!

Xion needed her.

There! Floating in the water, eyes closed and face grim, there she was. Her black skirt was billowing around her and her white shirt ballooned around her thin frame.

I swam as fast as I could to her and wrapped my arms around her waist. I pulled and kicked towards the surface with my precious cargo.

**Axel POV**

"C'mon, buddy, c'mon." I said, staring at the water. Dammit where were they?

Sora was giving mouth to mouth to the redheaded girl. He had ripped off her corset and loosened her clothes to ease her breathing but already her lips were tinged blue, I was afraid she wouldn't make it. But if Roxas didn't hurry up, he and Namine for sure wouldn't make it.

**Roxas POV**

I finally broke the surface with Namine. She was still unconscious when the men dragged us on board. I quickly pulled up her shirt and called for a knife. Almost instantly one was put in my hands and I cut away her corset, hoping to ease her breathing. I pushed back her hair and pulled her jaw apart gently. I put my mouth on hers and breathed in, then pushed on her diaphragm three times, pumping out water.

"C'mon, Namine!" I said between gritted teeth as I pushed the water out of her body. "Don't do this to me, we need you! C'mon!"

**Eeeeeeesh drama! Roxas is very determined… even if he is a buttmuncher. But you do have to feel sorry for him, I mean come on. His love was captured and he renounced his throne to become a pirate so he could save her! Sweet right?**

**He could be more gallant about it though.**

**Jerkface. **

**But anyways, did you like it? Huh? Huh? C'mon and review and let me know if I'm doing a good job! Thanks, dearies!**

**Forever yours in black and white,**

**~RUNWAY~**


	6. The Dangers of Deceit

**Hello everyone! Thanks so much to everyone who reviewed! Unfortunately, Demyx ate all the cookies and is now suffering a terrible tummy-ache. But I'll give everyone who reviews a basket of cookies next time! **

**Demyx: Too… many… cookies… gaaaahh! **

**Anyways. Here we go!**

**Death angel chick221: thanks for the tip, love!**

**pichucherrimteam: Xion is very tough. But Acantha, as hateful as she is, tries very hard to keep her alive. So her wounds are taken care of, even though it's usually in the most painful way possible.**

**CaramelCoveredSunset: my chapters are a monument to being 14 and not having a car. But hey, my boredom is productive! XD**

**NightFalcon26: thank you so much! :D**

**Sovereign Beta: I agree very strongly. Roxas is fun to write stuff for… he's kinda got multiple personality disorder in this story and that just makes my job interesting!**

**ON WITH THE NEXT CHAPTER!**

**Roxas POV, Captain's Quarters**

It's been two days since Namine and Kairi's near-drowning. Kairi's fine, Sora's taking good care of her. She was well enough last night to be moved back from Sora's quarters to the cabin she shared with Namine.

Namine, on the other hand, is giving us all quite a scare.

I had her moved to my quarters, so I could keep an eye on her. I don't trust anyone else. There's something about her… Her sweet smile and big blue eyes… that makes me want to make sure no one hurts her. She's so unlike Xion.

I sighed.

Xion.

Xion with her beautiful eyes that went from being aquamarine to azure. Her sweet smelling black hair and pale lovely skin. She was tough, brave. She knew what she wanted and she'd stop at nothing to get it. But this girl? Namine is too fragile. She looks like she'll break if you don't touch her lightly enough. Why on earth did I feel drawn to that little imp? She was helpless.

"Ughnnn…"

I jumped to my feet and practically ran to my bed. Her eyes were fluttering, and her mouth was forming words.

"Water…" she whispered.

I grabbed a whiskey bottle filled with water and pressed it to her lips. She drank hungrily, the water spilling out of her mouth and over her cheeks and down her chin.

"Whoa." I said quietly. "Not too fast, you'll get sick. That's enough for now." I drew the bottle away from her and she looked around, taking in her surroundings.

My room was messy, but really comfortable. So I thought, at least. I had treasures and antiques from all the lands all over. My bed was French, with a soft feathery mattress from the Beast's Castle. The bedspread was spider silk, from Peter Pan's fairy friends. The rugs were from the Land of Dragons and the decorative masks I had on the walls were traditional pieces from the Pride Lands.

"What… hap… Kai…" she said, her mouth still too tired to form the words.

"You fell off the side of the ship." I said kindly, without mentioning what a boneheaded thing it was to do, like I wanted to. "Sora and I saved you both. You've been unconscious for two days. Kairi's fine. She's in her own room. These are my quarters. I'm keeping you here until you're well enough to join Kairi. You gave us quite a scare, love."

She looked at me intensely, like she was trying to figure me out. Hmph. Good luck with that. I can't even figure myself out.

"Th-tha-thank you." She whispered.

"You're welcome, darling." I said, winking.

She stared at me again, her eyes focused right on mine, refusing to move. She looked like she was determined to understand something. But understand what? Me? My crew? My past?

She'd never understand my past.

"Get some sleep." I said, plunking the whiskey bottle next to her. "Tomorrow I am going to formally introduce you to the crew. It's high time you became one of us." I turned on my heel and slammed the door behind me, not looking back.

I hadn't even got past the threshold before Axel ran up to me, his eyes wild. "Captain!" he cried. "One of the Queen's ships is upon us!"

"Goddamn!" I bellowed. "Ready the cannons! I want every man and Larxene on deck, be ready for a fight!"

"Ay ay, sir!"

**3****rd**** Person POV, Kairi and Namine's Room**

Sora sat on Kairi's bed, watching her sleep. She looked so peaceful. Her hair was tousled and fanned out behind her on the pillow. She was perfect.

He was jarred from his thoughts when his brother stormed into the room in full battle garb, complete with two sabers and a pistol on each hip. "What are you doing?" he demanded. "The _Deceit _is upon us! There's sure to be a fight! Get up! Get your weapons!" Roxas ran from the room, yelling orders to the other crew members.

Sora jumped up from the bed and started towards the door, when a thin hand grasped his.

"Don't go…" Kairi whispered, her eyes still closed.

Sora smiled. "I'll come back." He gently pulled his hand away, squeezed hers once and then ran to the weapons room.

**Larxene POV, Weapons Room**

God, I love fights.

The rush, the adrenaline, the way my sword and kunai moved… ah, it was wonderful.

I quickly tucked kunai into my high-heeled boots and a hand grenade in my bosom. My hair was twisted into two knots on either side of my head, instead of the usual antennae-like style. Holding the knots in place were two small, poison tipped kunai, ready for use. I pulled my favorite cutlass from its mount of the wall and slid it into its sheath. God, I was so ready for this.

"You look good, Lar-lar. I've never seen you so excited." A familiar voice purred.

"Axel." I said without turning around. "It's a shame we're on the same side. I'd love to throw a few of these darlings at you." I crooned, stroking the hilt of a kunai.

"Well, dear, seeing as we're on the same side I'd consider that mutiny, wouldn't you?"

I smiled. "Accidents happen."

I turned to face him. He had moved closer, he was right in front of me, our faces inches apart.

"Hopefully I'm not one of your 'accidents'." He said, smirking.

I smiled and caught his face in my hands. "Stay on my good side. I've got a killer array of weapons in my corset."

He removed my hands from his face and smiled. "I've got it memorized." He purred again. Then he caught my face and brushed his lips against mine. "For luck." He whispered, before grabbing his chakrams and darting out the door.

"That little son of a bitch!"

**3****rd**** Person POV, Weapons Room**

Sora darted into the weapons room just in time to see a severely pissed off Larxene storm out, a kunai between every finger.

_God help the man she gets her hands on! _He thought, before grabbing two cutlasses and a pocketful of hand grenades. He even threw in a pistol, even though he didn't like guns. Too impersonal. Killing should be done at close hand and very, very personal.

He tugged on a belt with double sheaths for his cutlasses and ran out the door, eager to fight.

**3****rd**** Person POV, on the Deck of the **_**Luminata**_

Every member of the crew was at a standstill, staring at the huge imperial ship in front of them. They were all silent, but quivering with excitement. There hadn't been a good fight for weeks, not counting that scrap Axel got them into at Port Royal.

The _Deceit _was a good distance away still, but close enough to where the _Luminata's _crew members could see the Queen's sailors getting ready for hand-to-hand combat. The royal sailors didn't bother with wasting cannon balls and gunpowder on lowly pirates. Jumping ship and taking on the lot with sabers and pistols saved them from wasting.

As the ship neared, Roxas' sword tip began moving in small circles with anticipation. Demyx raised the black pirate flag and the other ship raised the Queen's coat of arms: a bloody white rose crossed with a twisted sword.

When the ship neared close enough for one crew to board the other ship, Roxas stepped forward. As was tradition in these waters, the captains of the enemy ships had to bow to each other, acknowledging each other's existence and bowing to their possible death.

**3****rd**** Person POV, on Board the **_**Deceit**_

"Ready, Captain?" the first mate called to a figure with their back turned towards him.

"Not yet, Mr. Kirkin." The captain replied. "I have yet to acknowledge my enemy." The Captain stepped forward, the sunlight rippling on their long black hair. "I bow to thee, enemy captain!" the captain cried across the short distance of water to the _Luminata. _"May you meet thy death with grace!"

"And I bow to thee, thrice accursed royal scum! May you meet thy doom this day! For there will be no survivors! This be the word of I, Captain Roxas Cardei of Hollow Bastion!" came the reply.

"And this be the word of I, Captain Tifa Yamade of the Queen's Isle, we shall spare none of your crew!"

The first mates of both ships rang a gong to signify the battle's start.

**3****rd**** Person, the **_**Luminata**_

Enemy sailors poured in from the starboard side of the _Luminata. _Everywhere you turned there was the red uniform of the Queen's army, the flashing silver of cutlasses, swords, and rapiers, and the gray smoke from pistols.

Larxene was dispatching an unfortunate soldier with her kunai, raking her hands through his body like claws. A man behind her clipped her shoulder with his rapier, and she roared in pain, turning and finishing him off with a swift stab in the throat.

Sora was in combat with a black haired man, the two of them locked in a deadly dance. They parried and turned and stabbed, until the black haired man opened his guard and Sora slit him from navel to nose.

Xigbar wielded his huge crossbow with grace as he calmly shot through his opponents.

Axel swung his chakrams with even more grace than Xigbar and his crossbow, slicing through enemies and laughing as he did it.

Lexaeus, Vexen, Saix, and Xaldin were back to back, slitting the Queen's men with ease and without change in expression.

Every member of the crew had a bloodthirsty shine in their eyes and were ready for anything. They were all fighting for different reasons. Some out of revenge for what the Queen had done to their families, some for freedom of the bondage the Queen placed on them, and some because it was dang fun to cut up a bunch of pompous losers.

Roxas and Tifa were locked in combat, swinging their swords, only to be blocked and parried by the other. Tifa watched his eyes every time he made a move, and he watched the tilt of her mouth. If she smiled, she had found an almost opening and he checked his guard. If she grimaced, she was ready to block or parry his blow.

The battle huge, bloody, probably the most fun the _Luminata's _crew had had in awhile.

Roxas looked towards the door of his quarters, silently praying that Namine was okay. He parried another one of Tifa's blows and executed a perfect riposte **(AN: that just means he hit back at her after he parried)**. Tifa smiled at him and feinted to the left before lunging to the right, cutting a gash in Roxas' side. He roared in pain and beat her blade back before executing a coupe **(AN: flicking his blade over Tifa's as to underneath) **and slashing her face in a clean diagonal line across her cheekbone. He laughed as she screeched in rage, lunging and continually beating his blade with her own looking desperately for an opening.

Roxas laughed and parried her blows, focusing completely on his fight. But his concentration was broken when he saw the door to his cabin open, and a young girl in one of his white nightshirts step out into the blood and mayhem dizzily, her eyes taking in the horror and gore of the battle.

"Namine?" he whispered. "NAMINE! NO!"

That was just the opening Tifa needed. She smiled and plunged her sword into Roxas.

He gasped, staring down at the sword in his body. He looked back up at Tifa, and then back to Namine. His vision was blurring, and he didn't hear that tiny blonde imp scream his name before he hit the ground.

**Noooooo! Roxy-kun! That poor baby! He is a jerkface but it's still depressing when the cute guy gets hurt. **

**I'm so sorry if you're a Tifa fan… but I had to use someone because I was too lazy to come up with another OC and she was the first one that came to mind. So please don't flame me for that. **

**But anyways, you liiiike? If it sucks, I blame the fact that it is 3:56 am and that pot of coffee I drank is totally wearing off.**

**But hey, review anyways! **

**I can even show you where the button is! **

**It's riiiiiiight…..**

**HERE! **

**Love always, **

**~RUNWAY**


	7. You're Gonna Kill Them Both

**So, I thought about leaving you all in suspense for a month… then updating… but the suspense is killing ME so I figured I'd be nice. **

**I promised you all baskets of cookies in my last chapter and Runway always keeps her promises (:**

**Except for those I don't intend to keep. Like the ones I make to my mother about cleaning. **

**ANYWAYS! **

**Ruby C. Cullen: I know right? He's got two girls, a ship, a crew, and a throne. The boy has too many responsibilities to die! Here's your assortment of giant cookies. **

**coobearrocks: Mucho gracias! *throws a basket of cookies***

**Sovereign Beta: For someone who's such a jerkwad, he's very distressed over his blonde imp isn't he? Here's your basket of cookies!**

**king of hope: They really do belong together… they're such a cute couple! And here's you a basket of caramel cookies (:**

**pichucherrimteam: I meant for Roxas to sound like Jack Sparrow. I was trying very hard to make him. It worked! I love me some Johnny Depp (: *hands a basket of cookies***

**NightFalcon26: Well here's the next chapter! GO FIND OUT! *tosses a large basket of cookies***

**Oh, and in case anyone was wondering, all of my alive OCs' names were picked because of their meanings. **

**Acantha = thorn**

**Alasdair = success**

**Cheng Gong = defender of men**

**ON WITH THE NEXT CHAPPY!**

Namine stood in front of the cabin door, her eyes not believing what they saw. Roxas' azure coat was stained black from the blood blossoming from his wound. His eyes opened wide once, and then rolled back into his head. His lips formed a single word before his body stopped moving.

_Namine _

"NO! ROXAS!" Namine screamed, breaking into a run. "ROXAS!"

"Stop, you stupid girl!" Larxene screeched, snatching Namine back. "There's nothing you can do! We are at the mercy of Captain Yamade."

Namine struggled against Larxene's hold, sobbing and screaming the fallen Captain's name. But her body was still too weak from her near-drowning to do much more than make Larxene angry and tighten her hold.

The entire crew of the _Luminata_ was at a standstill. They all stared at Roxas' body, unable to move. The silence was only broken by Tifa's uncontrollable laughter.

Sora stood behind the woman captain and stared at her with hatred. His limbs seemed to move of their own accord, and he took his pistol and placed his finger on the trigger. He took a deep breath, releasing all of his passion, rage, and hatred into one agonizing loud scream.

And he fired.

Tifa staggered, her eyes widening. She looked down at her chest, at the ugly, gaping hole the bullet left when it shot through her body. "You… son of a… bitch." She whispered. Then she hit the deck, eyes wide open, and blood leaking out of her broken body. The Queen's favorite Captain was dead.

Sora stared at the body, breathing hard. "You!" he screamed, turning to the few remnants of the _Deceit's _crew. "Line up!"

The 5 members of the crew lined up together, trembling. They stared at the ruined bodies of their mates, and the horrifying wide, open eyes of their Captain.

"Larxene! Axel! Marluxia! Saix! Luxord! Pick an enemy and stand in front of them, pistols at the ready!" Sora shouted.

Larxene dropped Namine, leaving her to join the other four of her crewmates as they did as they were bid. They each stood directly in front of an enemy crew member, hatred and fury filled eyes meeting terror filled faces with fervently praying lips.

"Ready." Sora said, eyes narrowing.

The five crewmates cocked their pistols.

"Aim."

They held up the guns steadily.

"Fire."

**3****rd**** Person POV, Kairi and Namine's Room**

Kairi whimpered as she heard the five guns go off simultaneously, followed by the dull thud of five bodies hitting the ground, the life snuffed out of them like candles.

She pulled her ear away from the cabin door and shrank into the corner, sobbing.

**3****rd**** Person POV, On Deck**

Namine squeezed her eyes shut at the sound of the guns. As the bodies hit the ground, she ran to Roxas' body and collapsed on it, wailing.

Sora stared at the bodies all over his brother's ship. The once mahogany color of the ship's deck had been turned dark with blood and gore from the enemies. As far as he could see, besides Roxas, no one suffered any injuries besides a few slashed limbs and bruises.

He threw his pistol to the ground. "Marluxia." He said quietly. "Carry my brother's body below, to the infirmary. Dress him in his best clothes for his funeral and write a letter to our parents. Axel, as first mate you assume duties as captain. I will go comfort Namine and Kairi."

Marluxia nodded and moved towards Roxas, watching Namine hold him close; rocking his body back and forth, crying and laughing at the same time.

Sora stared at her, enraged. "My brother is dead, and you laugh?" he shouted. "He was more a man than anyone on this ship! He had more courage and more bravery and was a better person than even you!"

Namine ignored him, and continued to laugh. "You're alive." She whispered into his hair. "You're alive, you're alive!"

Sora started to run at her, to drag her away from his brother's body, but Marluxia snatched him back.

"Sora." He said. "Look."

Sora looked at his brother's face, and saw his eyes flutter open and his fingers twitch.

"He's alive?" Sora whispered. "He's alive!"

**3 days later, Roxas' Quarters, Roxas POV**

_Red. _

_What is red?_

_Red is pain. _

_Black. Black is darkness. The darkness that takes me away from the pain. _

_Black is something that is not red. _

_Suddenly I'm seven years old again, I've contracted a fever. I'm burning. _

_Cool hands touch my forehead. They push back my hair and soft lips kiss my forehead. "Get better, angel." Someone whispers in my ear. "Get better, little prince." _

_Is that my mother? I smell lavender and papou fruit. That's mother's smell. She's singing my lullaby. She sounds so sweet… _

_Sweet baby sleep, what ails my dear?_

_What ails my darling thus to cry?_

_It hurts, Mama. It hurts so much…_

_Be still my child, and lend thine ear_

_To hear me sing thy lullaby_

_I'm listening Mama… but it hurts… _

_Don't let the red take me…_

**3****rd**** Person POV, Roxas' Quarters**

"How's he doin'?"

Namine looked up from her task of pressing cold rags to Roxas' forehead. Axel stood in the doorway, his usually carefree face lined with worry.

"No better than five minutes ago when you last asked, Axel." Namine smiled weakly. "His fever won't break, he hasn't woken, and he keeps muttering things in his sleep."

"What kind of things?" Axel asked, walking forward to sit on the bed with Namine.

"He keeps calling me 'Mama' and saying something about 'don't let the red take him'. I'm worried." She said, biting her lip. She pressed another rag to his forehead. "Gosh." She muttered. "I'm out of brandy. I'll just go get more."

She put the bowl of rags on the nightstand and stood up. "Oh!" she breathed, suddenly dizzy. She clutched the bedpost to steady herself.

"Namine." Axel said, catching her shoulders. "You're still weak. Where's Marluxia? This is his job. He's the healer. You haven't slept in at least two days. Go get sleep."

"Nonsense." Namine said. "I don't need sleep. Besides, I want to be here when he wakes up."

Axel squeezed her shoulders and bent down to meet her eyes. "He won't love you back, Namine." He whispered gently. "He loves Xion."

Namine stared back at Axel and nodded, her eyes filling with tears. "I know." She whispered.

"Don't make a fool of yourself by chasing after him. He'll break your heart, love."

Namine looked down at her black slipper covered feet, willing herself not to cry. Axel was right. How could someone like him love someone like her? A coward, a nobody. She wasn't even that pretty. Roxas would never want her. He's always want Xion. Namine bet she was beautiful. She was probably brave, and strong, and everything Namine aspired to be. And she'd never top that.

"I understand." She said slowly.

"Go get some sleep." Axel said quietly. "I'll watch him until Marly comes back."

Namine nodded slowly, then walked out of the room quietly, every step careful and slow.

When she was gone, Axel turned back and stared at his best friend. Roxas' face was set in a grim line. His arms were straight next to his sides, and his breathing was uneven.

"You're gonna kill her, Rox." Axel mumbled. "You're gonna kill her and Xion both."

**3****rd**** Person POV, Kairi & Namine's Room**

Kairi sat curled up on the bed, a hot mug of tea between her hands. She laughed at Sora's goofy smile as he whispered how beautiful she was. It was nice, to be called beautiful. Tidus had never called her beautiful…

"Hey." Sora said, looking at her, big blue eyes concerned. "What's wrong?"

"Hm?" Kairi asked, looking up from the depths of her mug. "Nothing's wrong." She said, trying to sound nonchalant.

"Aw, c'mon Kairi, don't give me that. Roxas and I grew up with three sisters we know how to tell when a woman's upset. Now spill!"

"I don't know…" Kairi sighed, setting her mug down on the bedside table. "I'm just thinking."

"Thinking about what?"

"About before… my family… my friends… Tidus…" she said, her voice getting lower and lower as she reached Tidus' name.

"Who's Tidus?" Sora asked.

"Tidus was a friend… Well.." she amended. "Actually he was more than a friend."

"Ahh." Sora answered, staring off into space. "And did you love this more-than-a-friend Tidus guy?"

"Well… to be honest I'm not sure. Sometimes it felt like I did… but other times... I wasn't sure. He was so sweet… but sometimes he acted like he only wanted me to make his father happy. Namine and I were the best any boy could do in our caravan. We were the royalty of our small community." Kairi sighed. "He was strong, and handsome… his father was the woodcutter. He could carve the most wonderful things. Father was all for me marrying him. He said I would be a good wife. I would bear strong and sweet children. But he never said that I would be what my husband wanted. He said I'd be what any man wanted. But Tidus wasn't any man… and I was terrified I wouldn't be enough for him. He got violent when he got angry… and a few times I had been on the receiving end of his anger. On the night he died, he set me down and I'm sure he was about to propose… but before he could get the words out, the Queen's men killed him."

Sora took Kairi by the chin and looked into her eyes. "You're not what any man would want, you're what every man wants. And Tidus may have been a lot of things, but no man who hurts the woman that loves him is worth the trouble. And I would never hurt you."

Kairi stared at him. Did he get it at all? Tidus was…

"I loved him." She whispered, tears filling her eyes. "Please go."

"Kairi, I…" Sora began, confused.

"No, Sora. Just go. Please."

Sora nodded and got up. "I'm sorry." He said, "But if you ever need anything… you know where my room is."

He turned and left Kairi sitting on her bed staring at the wall. When he left, she collapsed in a small sobbing heap, and cried herself to sleep.

**Okay…. This had no point whatsoever. I'm sorry. ): But it was crucial to the plot and I know it wasn't very eventful… but hang with me here. **

**And I am so so so sorry about when I deleted this and added it back. My whole story got screwed up. There were parts of the prologue in chapter 5, and then everything was out of order… it was a mess and I couldn't fix it so I had to delete it. **

**But it's back up! **

**So... REVIEW FOR ME!**

**Muchos gracias!**

**~RUNWAY**


	8. Suit Yourself

**Hello! I meant to update a few days ago, but then I got this insane urge to write for my other story With Love. So I'm a little late. And I really don't feel like going through my email and trying to find all my reviews… especially since my inbox has been deleted… so…**

**IF YOU REVIEWED YOU ARE MUCH LOVED AND GET A COOKIE! **

**Disclaimer: Do I LOOK like I own anything? Huh? Do I? No. No I do not. **

**Axel: Got it memorized?**

**Demyx, Larxene, Zexion, Roxas, and Sora: SHUT UP, AXEL! **

Xion lay stretched out on her stone table, the sharp pieces of rock dug into her back and into the cuts and gashes on her legs, but she didn't have the will to care.

Roxas was dead.

Acantha had sent her best captain and best crew to find the _Luminata_, and there was no way he survived.

She started to drift off to sleep, exhausted from the constant torture Acantha, Muerta, and Decessa put on her. Sleeping was easy. Maybe, God willing, she just wouldn't wake back up. Death was easier than sleep.

_The moon was shining bright over the water, making a dancing silver circle in the sea. Roxas and Xion stood on a dock next to each other, hands barely touching. _

"_It's a beautiful night." Xion said quietly, staring at the stars._

"_It is." Roxas agreed. "But not half so pretty as you."_

_She smiled and took his hand. He squeezed hers and continued to stare out in front of them, at the huge expanse of water. _

"_Roxas." She said suddenly, turning towards him. _

_He took her other hand in his and squeezed it also. "Hmm?" he said, staring at her eyes._

"_Do you love me?"_

_Those four words. The worst Xion had ever uttered, but the best at the same time. Almost instantly, she regretted asking. Of course he didn't love her. He was betrothed to the Warrior Princess of a native tribe in Deep Jungle. He loved her… right?_

"_Yes. I love you." _

_And those were the worst four words Xion had ever heard. Because as soon as she heard them, she fell deeply and impossibly in love. _

_And now he would never be hers. _

"Oh, Xion, darling!"

Xion's eyes snapped open. She knew that voice all too well. It was the voice that had haunted this living nightmare for the past 6 months.

"Acantha." She spat, turning her face to the wall.

"Oh, come now, don't be like that dearest." Acantha smiled. Today Her Majesty was dressed in red, a color as deep as blood and as rich as wine. She had a circlet of rubies on her forehead, the center of it dripping with diamonds and the red jewels that formed a flower. The queen took Xion's face in her hands and turned it towards herself. "Come now, dearie. Don't you have a bit of information for dear Auntie Acantha?"

"I hope you rot, Acantha." Xion said quietly, her voice as deadly as a thousand knives.

"You first, love." Acantha replied, still smiling. She dropped Xion's face and walked about the small room. "If you tell me what I wish to know, I will set you free." She said, turning back towards Xion. "And then you can live your happy little royal life."

"You killed Roxas. I'd rather die than see you rise to power, you selfish cow!" Xion screamed, shaking her chains. "MURDERESS!"

"Yes, I suppose you could add that on my list of accomplishments now couldn't you?" Acantha said, smiling wider. She planted her hands firmly on her hips. "And as for you rathering dying, I'm sure an arrangement can be made." She spun towards the door. "Muerta will bring your food in an hour, my dear. In the meantime, I'm planning a gorgeous party. Keep your noise down so as not to disturb me. Try not to scream too much when Decessa's knife rips through your pretty flesh."

She slammed the door shut, leaving Xion all alone in the dank, foul dungeon.

"Roxas…" she sobbed. "Oh my Roxas…"

_**Luminata, **_**3****rd**** Person POV, Roxas' Quarters**

Larxene, Axel, Demyx, Zexion, Marluxia, Sora, Kairi, and Namine stood in front of Roxas' bed, begging him to wake up. It had been two days since Namine had watched over him, and he had yet to call out in his sleep or anything. Marluxia could not explain his coma, nor could he explain the raging fever that made him toss in his sleep. But now the fever just seemed to be killing him. He lay motionless, his face grim and his eyes flickering behind their lids.

Every now and then he would cry out in his sleep, it was clear his nightmares were torturing him. He would scream as if in agony, cry 'no!', laugh maniacally, and other times he just whimpered and moaned, whispering Xion's name.

Marluxia moved to his bed, touching his forehead lightly. "He's burning." He said under his breath. "I need a polituce of herbs to bring the fever down. But I don't have them on the ship. We'll have to stop."

"Stop?" Sora said disbelievingly. "Marly, we can't stop. The queen's searching for us. By now she'll have soldiers in every town."

"But she only has the crew's names. We could put you and the two girls off a little ways away from the town and you could go in and get the herbs from the nearest apothecary."

"Why me?"

"You're the least noticeable. Axel would get spotted instantly because of his hair color and the tattoos under his eyes. My hair color would get me noticed. Luxord's too big of a gambler to resist going into a tavern and when he's drunk he spills all his secrets." Marluxia explained, counting off people on his fingers. "Larxene attracts trouble, and she has a history in Traverse Town. Demyx gives in under pressure too easily. Saix's scars are too noticeable. Xigbar-"

"Okay, okay, I get it!" Sora said holding up his hands in defeat. "I'll need different clothes. I scream pirate. They'll need cloaks or something; the nearest town is Traverse Town and its wicked cold there this time of year."

**Larxene's Quarters**

"Alright, midgets." Larxene said, throwing open the door to her wardrobe.

Kairi and Namine stood in the middle of what looked like a cross between a weapons room and a leather and corset outlet. Larxene's quarters were messy, boots and black clothes were strewn everywhere. Katanas and cutlasses were mounted on the wall, kunai were scattered across her dresser, and the hilt of a dagger was clearly visible under the blankets on the bed.

Larxene dug through her wardrobe, past tons of black and gray clothes, before reaching to the very back and pulling out a white dress, a blue cloak, a red dress, and a white cloak.

"Here!" she said, tossing them to the two girls.

"Are these yours, Larxene?" Kairi asked, astonished. The older girl was definitely not someone that she would picture to wear color.

"Yes." Larxene answered. "From a different lifetime. Remember when Marly said I had a history in dear old T Town? Until about 6 months ago, I was the Governor's daughter, heiress to the most gorgeous fortune ever seen."

"But, you're still his daughter, aren't you?" Namine asked, confused. She pulled off the white nightshirt she'd borrowed from Roxas' closet and stepped into the white dress.

"No. When he married that slut he divorced my mother for, I stopped being his child. My mother died of grief when he left her. I hate that man. So, when I heard that a pirate ship was looking for a weapons master, I tried out for the job. My father hired a tutor to tell me how to defend myself at a very young age. Traverse Town is almost always crawling with undesirable people. I made the cut, and ran away that same night. And now here I am, searching the sea with 2 runaway royals and a ragtag band of misfits looking for some Asian princess." She slammed the wardrobe door shut and turned back to the sisters.

"That must have been terrible." Kairi said sympathetically.

"Not really." Larxene shrugged, motioning for Kairi to turn around so she could help her lace up the back of the dress. "Axel's story is much worse than mine."

"What's his story?" Namine asked, curious.

"Never you mind." Larxene snapped, giving a final tug on Kairi's laces. "Put that cloak on and wash your faces in that basin over there. There's perfume in the bottom drawer of the dressing table, put a little on your wrists and collarbones. Hurry up. We'll be there soon."

**On deck of the **_**Luminata**_

"This better work, Marly." Sora said, staring out to sea at the black dot that was Traverse Town. He had changed into the attire like that of a poor farm boy, dirty brown breeches and a white cotton shirt. They had even rubbed dirt on his face to make him look the part.

"It will." Marluxia assured him. "Now don't talk. You look like a farm boy but your accent and way of speaking will give you away. And don't stand so straight! God you scream 'royal' with that posture. Slump your shoulders!"

While Sora was receiving orders, Namine and Kairi stepped out on deck.

"Heeeey! It's the little Gypsies!" Axel whistled. "C'mere, beauties!"

Namine and Kairi shyly walked towards him, smiling from ear to ear.

"You clean up real good!" He said, laughing. He took them both by the hand and twirled them before turning to Sora. "Ain't they purty, Sor?"

Sora looked slightly shocked, he stared at Kairi with his mouth open. "Gorgeous." He said, still staring.

Kairi looked at the ground, embarrassed.

"Alright, alright, alright. Stop mooning over my midgets!" Larxene said, striding up. "We're almost there."

**Traverse Town**

Kairi and Namine tried their best not to be dazzled by the lights of Traverse Town. They tried to look prim and proper and to remember the story they had been taught.

They were from a rich farm; the boy with them was their chaperone, an indentured servant by the name of Taro. He was mute. Their mother had a terrible fever and their father was away on business, so they were sent to the nearest town for herbs to make medicine for their mother. Their names were Noelle and Kyah.

The trio walked through First District quickly, eager to get what they needed and leave. Every now and then a moogle walked up to them, asking them about rare items and synthesizing nonsense.

"Hey there, dearest." A woman called from a corner. She had a short dress on and a revealing, tight shirt. "Wanna play?" She walked up to Sora, and kissed his neck, running a hand through his hair. Sora pushed her off and kept walking. He grabbed Namine and Kairi and pulled them away quickly.

"Oh my God!" Kairi exclaimed as soon as they were safely away.

Sora nodded fiercely and kept walking, his eyes furious. He pointed to a sign in front of a store that read "Merlin's Apothecary"

They walked in quickly.

The store was very homey, there was a cheerful fire burning and it had the spicy smell of herbs. Kairi walked straight up to the counter and rang the bell.

Almost instantly a little man in a blue robe and round glasses appeared. "Welcome to Merlin's Apothecary!" he beamed. "I am the great healer Merlin. How may I help you?"

"Yes. I mean hello. I mean, how do you do? Um…" Kairi smiled nervously, ignoring Namine and Sora who were face-palming. "I need some dogwood and willow bark, and also witch hazel."

"Ah. Do you have a sick patient?" Merlin asked, turning to rummage in drawers for their herbs.

"Yes sir." Namine said. "Our mother is very ill."

"Ah. Are you all her children?" he asked pleasantly.

"No sir." Kairi piped up. "My sister and I are her daughters. Taro, the boy, is our servant. He's mute, but very strong."

"Ah. That's nice." Merlin said, handing over a box full of herbs. "Here you are Miss…?"

"Noelle." Namine said quickly. "Miss Noelle and Miss Kyah."

"Here you are Miss Noelle and Miss Kyah." He said, bowing politely. "I wish the best for your mother."

"Thank you, sir." The girls said together before walking out of the apothecary.

As they got outside, the woman from the corner was standing at the door.

She snatched the back of Sora's shirt as he walked out the door. She pulled him close to her. "I know who you are." She whispered, stroking his face lovingly. "But if you give me a little money, and maybe a little of what you have down there…" she said suggestively, stroking the front of his breeches. "I won't tell."

Sora shoved her off again and grabbed Namine and Kairi by the shoulders.

"Suit yourself." The woman called. "GUARDS!" she screamed. "WANTED MAN! SORA OF HOLLOW BASTION, ENEMY TO HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN!"

5 soldiers looked in the direction of where she was pointing and ran to Sora.

"RUN!" he screamed to Namine and Kairi, snatching out a dirk from his belt.

Namine took a stunned Kairi by the hand and ran back to ship, dragging her screaming sister along with her.

"NO! SORA!" Kairi wailed, fighting against Namine. "SORA!"

They reached the ship just as Sora was clapped in irons and dragged away.

**Okay, it'll really pick up after this I promise. I didn't have much to work with because it seemed too soon for Roxas to wake up but eh. Here we have it.**

**I know it sucked, but make me happy an review. Please? For me? **

**THANKS!**

**~rUnWaY**


	9. I Never Want to See You Cry

**Herro! Thanks to the reviewers of last chapter, NightFalcon26 and Sovereign Beta. You get ginormous cookies!**

**NightFalcon26, I totally agree with you on that. Makes you wanna get a huge neon sign saying: I'M FREAKIN TAKEN STOP COMIN ONTO ME**

**Sovereign Beta: Thank you! That last chapter was done in the space of like 20 minutes; I was worried it wouldn't be good. I thought about having Sora go all Master/Final Form on the soldiers, but I thought that would be a bit much. Even though it would be mucho fun to write!**

**chibiXIII: Haha thanks so much! I know the chapters are short, and for that I apologize. I'm in the process of moving and I try to keep the story going as much as possible, so until I get settled in they might be kinda brief. I'm sorry!**

**pichucherrimteam: I totally agree about Roxas needing to get a move on. Personally, (and Larxene agrees with me) I think he's milking it for all it's worth. Axel's story will come in later chapters. I haven't decided when or how it's gonna play out yet. **

**Alright guys, into your positions! It's show time! Someone take the dissy!**

**Zuko: DeadRunway does not own any of the characters or places in KH other than her own. **

**DeadRunway: …WHY ARE YOU HERE? YOU'RE LIKE, SUPPOSED TO BE WITH ANG! AND KATARA! AND THAT UNCLE GUY WHO LIKES TEA!**

**Zuko: I was in the neighborhood.**

**DeadRunway: ACK! WHERE'S APPA? I WANT APPA!**

**Zuko: *sigh* Come on then. *mumbles* stupid American girls, always wanting that stupid flying fluff ball… do they care about a handsome fire bender? No. They want the stupid flying fluff ball. **

Sora fought against the five huge men that held him down. He twisted, rolled, bit, kicked; he did everything he could think of to make them turn him loose. He had to get back to the ship, he had to get back to his brother, he had to get back to Kairi.

One of the men grabbed him by his hair and pulled him up, making Sora scream in pain and hatred. While he was being pulled, another man clapped him in irons, a set around his hands and feet. The one who had him by the hair dropped him and slipped a piece of cotton rag between his teeth.

"There, ye slimy lit'l bastard." The guard who gagged him said, wiping his nose from where Sora had kicked him. "I think he broke me nose."

"Ah, hush up Cartwright. Help me get 'im to the prison, till the Queen can be notified."

They grabbed Sora by his arms and dragged him up the stairs, ignoring his muffled screams.

**Captain's Cabin**_**, **_**3****rd**** Person POV**

"What d'you mean, 'captured?'" Axel roared, slamming a fist down on the table. "They can't have taken Sora!"

Kairi was in Demyx's arms and sobbing, and Namine stood in front of Axel, shaking. "They took him. One of the whores on the street discovered who he was and told the guards because he wouldn't pay her or offer his services."

Axel cursed and threw a small kunai at the door. "We'll just have to go get him."

Namine opened her mouth to ask what he was talking about when Marluxia opened the door.

He looked tired and weary, but his face was unmistakably happy. "His Majesty, the Captain of the _Luminata _requests the presence of a young Namine Daniela Arcos. He's awake!"

**Outside Roxas' Quarters, 3****rd**** POV**

Marluxia led Namine towards the door of Roxas's room, chatting happily away about how soon Roxas would be on his feet again and happy, and the ship would be back to normal.

Namine smiled and nodded at the right times. A million thoughts were running through her head, the cheers of the crew when Marly told them their captain was alive, the excitement of seeing him, the dread of knowing that he would never want her…

But that didn't matter now. He was awake! He was alright! Soon he would find Xion and they could be perfectly happy, once again.

"My dear?" Marly asked, concerned.

Namine's head snapped up. "Yes?" she said.

"We're here."

Namine looked in front of her and saw the richly carved mahogany door leading to Roxas's quarters. "Yes." She said quietly. "We are."

"I'll leave you to it then." Marluxia said, bowing. He turned on his heel and left her standing in front of the door all alone.

Namine took a deep breath, and raised her hand to knock on the door.

Before she had time to knock, the door flew open. She inhaled sharply, staring at the beautiful man who stood before her. He was in black breeches, and his chest was bare, save for the bandaging where Tifa's sword had wounded him.

"H-hello." She breathed.

"Hello." He said quietly, staring at her. "Um, come in? Please?"

She nodded and followed him into the room. It was cleaner than it had been the last time she was here. His clothes had been put away and his dresser top had been straightened. The nightstand no longer was covered in cigarette butts and ashes, but had a wash basin and a brandy decanter.

"Sit down." Roxas said, gesturing vaguely at the bed. The bed was probably the one thing in the room that was still a mess. There was a pistol and a few bullets and the sheets were tangled around the pillows.

Namine took a seat on the bed and watched him shyly as he lit up a cigarette. He took a long drag and exhaled slowly.

"You want a smoke?" he asked, holding out a carton of cigarettes.

She shook her head no and continued to watch him. He paced restlessly, staring at his intricate masks decorating the walls.

"So…" he said, pausing in his pacing. "I wanted to tell you thank you. For working so hard to save me. I don't remember much about the whole business besides getting sword shoved through me, but the little I do remember is you being there. Singing, talking…" he turned towards her. "Crying."

Namine looked down at her hands. "It was no trouble." She said quietly.

"But you cried." Roxas insisted. He walked over to her and sat down across from her. "You were crying for me, Namine." He touched her hand lightly, causing her to shiver. The last thing she wanted was to burst into tears now. She didn't want him to know how much she thought she loved him.

He searched her face. She turned her head away from him, blinking away tears. He caught her chin and pulled her face back to him. "Why'd you cry for me? You're crying now." He brushed a stray tear off her face. "Namine please don't cry." He whispered.

Namine let loose a small sob. "No!" Roxas said, gathering her into his arms. "Don't do that. I can't bear to see you do that."

Namine gasped at his closeness. Her head was right over his heart, it was beating quickly. She breathed in his scent: cigarettes, brandy, and cologne.

He leaned back and tilted her chin upwards. "I never want to see you cry again." He whispered. Then he closed his eyes and touched his lips to hers.

**Sora, Traverse Town Prison, 3****rd**** POV**

"Wass yer name?"

Sora looked up at a clearly drunk man with a fat cigar hanging from his lip. The man was clinging to the bars of Sora's cell, his face was streaked with dirt and Sora could smell the whiskey on him.

"What's yours?" Sora retorted nastily. Was this the interrogator? Mother Mary, how dumb were these people? …Well… they did serve under Acantha…

"I'm arskin th' questions hur!" the man growled, pounding his chest. "Now, WASS. YER. NAME?"

"I am the Virgin Mary."

"Oh." The man said, clearly confused. He turned around to the other soldiers and called, "'Ey, fellas, I think we gawt th' wrong guy. 'E says 'e's the Blessed Virgin."

"You feckin' idiot." A bigger man growled. This one was clearly not drunk. He shoved the drunk aside and walked up to Sora's cell. "Are ye Sora of Hollow Bastion?" he asked, dangerously quiet.

"I dunno." Sora said innocently. "I seemed to have bumped my head on the way here. All my memory's gone!"

"Ye li'l bastard, ye are Sora. And yer brother to Roxas. The queen ordered ye all dead. How's ye still livin'?

Sora grinned. "Well you see, when my brother and I embarked on this journey of ours, Neptune, the sea god, granted us immortality. I am impossible to kill."

The man shook the bars and roared, "Where's ye crew?"

Sora smiled again. "In the deepest circle of Hell, my friend."

_**Luminata, **_**3****rd**** POV**

Axel paced restlessly on deck as the ship neared Traverse Town. The plan was simple: Get in there, get Sora, get the hell out. He was just hoping they wouldn't be too badly outnumbered. He had picked a team of fighters to complete the rescue mission. The distraction would be Demyx, assuming he didn't chicken out and run away. Larxene, Xigbar, Xaldin, Saix, Zexion, Luxord, Lexaeus, Vexen, Marluxia and Axel himself would be the ones to do the actual fighting.

"Axel."

Axel whirled around to see Larxene standing right behind him. She was wearing her usual battle garb, a white silk Chinese style top and a pair of black leather pants. Her boots were high heeled and hidden in the laces were a few kunai. For once her hair wasn't gelled back into the weird antennae things, it was loose. Axel had never seen someone more beautiful.

"What?" he said quickly, happy it was dark and Larxene couldn't see the blush that was creeping across his face.

"I wanted to tell you, that if we die tonight, and you know there's a huge chance we will, that there's no one I would rather die alongside."

Axel smiled. Larxene could see the glint of his teeth even in the dark. "There's no one I would rather die with either, Lar-Lar."

Larxene smiled and embraced Axel tightly. She kissed his cheek and walked away, not looking back once.

Axel smiled. Maybe this would turn out to be okay after all.

**Roxas's Quarters, 3****rd**** POV**

Namine stared at him as he pulled away slowly. Did that really just happen? Did he kiss her?

Roxas stared back. Did he really just do that?

"Ahem, um, I'm… sorry Namine that was uncalled for." He said standing up quickly. He turned away from her so she wouldn't see him blushing furiously.

Namine's eyes filled with tears. So he hadn't meant it. "Its fine, Roxas." She got up slowly. "I must go now. Kairi's very upset since Sora has been captured. You rest." She turned towards the door to leave just as he caught her wrist and pulled her back to him.

He tilted her face up and kissed her one more time, very slowly and deeply. Then he pushed her back firmly. "This can't happen, Namine. We can't happen. I love Xion. You understand that, don't you?"

Namine nodded slowly. She was just another girl. She would never be THE girl.

"Now get out. This won't happen again. Forget this. Just get out."

Namine nodded and left the room quickly. She ran all the way back to she and Kairi's cabin. When she got there at last she flung open the door and collapsed on the bed next to Kairi, and cried herself to sleep.

**Traverse Town Harbor, 3****rd**** POV**

Traverse Town was getting closer; the members of the rescue party were armed to the teeth, standing at the ready on the deck. As they reached the harbor, they stealthily walked into town, silently slitting the gate guard's throat before he had time to raise the alarm. Axel led them to the prison, nearly shaking with excitement. None of them said a word, silence and stealth were key in this operation. They crept up the stairs and past the Accessory Shop, turning into Second District.

The prison was a tall gray building that would have been very depressing if not for the flashing neon sign that read "Traverse Town Prison" in big letters. Through the window in the front, Axel could see Sora and a soldier talking. The soldier looked very pissed off, and Sora was just grinning wickedly. Axel motioned for the rest of the crew to come forward.

Larxene quivered with excitement, fingering her kunai lovingly. This was it. Xigbar and Xaldin kicked down the door and the crew poured into the prison, screaming and ready for a fight.

**Yeah, yeah, yeah. I know it ended badly. I'm sorry! But… it's a little longer this time! Yay? Alright review for me darlings! Thanks so much! **

**~RUNWAY**


	10. Scatter the Ashes

**Hey y'all! So sorry I'm late! School sucks. These people giving me extra homework… psh what is wrong with them?**

**But anyways! **

**Sovereign Beta: Thank you! Roxas I think is kind of a jerk about Xion and Namine. But I think he's also very indecisive. But for all his douchelord-ness, he's got respect for women. Kind of. So I think he wouldn't make Nami-chan a rebound. **

**NightFalcon26: I know right? It's like "I want you! No I don't! Wait, yes I do! GET OUT!" Bipolar much?**

**coobearrocks: Thank you! Here's your update!**

**: Aw thank you so much! You have no idea how much that means to me XD and thanks you for the cookie (: **

**maxeyn: Haha! I make no promises, but maybe you'll get your carrot party (;**

**chibiXIII: Sora's just so awesome sometimes. He's a beast. I'm glad it was a good length! I tried very hard! (;**

**.-RINGY rina-.: Thanks for the tips! There is a method to the rushing, I promise. Just keep reading! **

**pichucherrimteam: I know! Roxas is… mneeh. Poor Xion and Nami. **

**Alriiiiiiight. HERE WE GO!**

Pirates poured into the prison, screaming and brandishing cutlasses, kunai, chakrams, lances, and a wide array of other weapons. Axel ran to Sora and used the hilt of his sword to bust the lock from his cell and Larxene ran in to cut off the ropes that bound his ankles and wrists. Axel tossed him a sword and a pistol and whirled his chakrams, throwing them at the nearest guard, slicing him neatly in half.

Marluxia calmly brought his scythe down on the skull of a guard that had been stabbed multiple times by one of Larxene's poison kunai. Xigbar and Xaldin were once again working together to wreak havoc on the Queen's men. Vexen threw small bombs that he had created in the ship's brig at guards, though instead of exploding, they merely popped and covered their victim in ice.

Demyx had disappeared before the fight; he was no doubt running back to the ship screaming. Sora ran his sword through the last guard and collapsed on the floor. It was done. No one was injured, with the exception of Saix, who now had a long gash running from his temple to his jaw that would accompany his two scars that crossed across his face. They walked out of the prison silently, their faces gleaming with pride. As they walked towards the harbor, they were met by a huge, hulking figure in a dark cloak. They drew their swords. As they neared, they saw that it was not one figure, but two. A big man holding another smaller man as a hostage, with a dirk at his neck.

"Halt." Said the big man. "You're surrounded." As he spoke, men stepped out of the shadows, wearing the tell tale leather armor of the Queen's men. They all carried lethal weapons, from crossbows to glimmering rapiers.

Larxene fingered a kunai. "Stand down?" she hissed to Axel.

He smiled, his cat-like grin glinting in the dark. "Never."

The smaller man, the hostage, laughed lightly. "You're gonna die here, General." He said to the big man holding him. "My crew will kill you and your men."

Axel smiled. "Demyx is right, General. You don't have a chance. ATTACK!"

**3****rd**** Person POV, Acantha's Castle, Dungeons**

Xion was exhausted. Every day the crone sisters came and carved new designs into her limbs, and everyday Acantha whispered sweetly poisoned words at her and ordered new tortures.

But she would never speak.

What did it matter now? Roxas was dead. Her love, he was dead. And everything he had said to her, all of the "I'll never leave yous" and the "I'll always come for yous" meant nothing. He was rotting in the ninth circle of Hell. And they would never be together again.

"Xion, darling!"

Xion rolled her eyes in disgust. That woman. That disgusting, terrible woman. Why couldn't she just kill her? She should know by now that Xion would never talk. Even if Roxas was dead and a liar, she would never tell Acantha anything she wanted to know.

"Leave me." Xion said, deadpan.

"Oh, come now, love. Don't be grumpy!"

"Leave me."

"Do cooperate, darling. I would hate for something dreadful to happen to you…" Acantha smiled. She was playing with a long dagger, the handle set with rubies that flickered in the bad light of the dungeon, issuing a nasty evil glow.

"Do your worst. I no longer care!" Xion screamed, her voice growing louder and louder with each syllable she uttered.

"Don't be loud, Xion. Ladies should be quiet and thoughtful."

"Do not tell me what I can and cannot do! You harlot! You whore! Selfish BITCH! You have taken EVERYTHING from me! Everything! I have done nothing to you and yet you incessantly destroy everything I hold dear!" Xion raged, shaking her chains.

"Oh don't be so melodramatic." Acantha said in a bored voice. "It's not as if you can't find a new lover."

"Is this all a game to you? Is my life a GAME? You sit around on your throne and you wear your pretty jewels, but you're just as miserable as me! You spoiled, selfish cow! Lives are being taken because of YOU! Mothers who will never see their sons again! Sisters who won't feel their brother's embrace anymore! Wives who are left with children to take care of, they can't provide for them! They are starving in the streets! And what do you do? You LAUGH! You smile! You love it because you love pain! There is no worse existence than that!" Xion finished her rant with a scream, shaking and rattling her chains and kicking her feet as best as she could.

"I think you've had quite enough excitement for today, little one. Sleep well." Acantha stormed out of the dungeon, leaving Xion screaming insults at her back.

"Putrid little worm." Acantha muttered. "She knows something. Otherwise I would have had her killed ages ago. Perhaps I have been to merciful. Maybe I should just… end her." Here she smiled wickedly. Yes, that was it. Just kill the little girl and lure Roxas into a trap. Marvelous.

**3****rd**** Person POV, just near the **_**Luminata**_

Axel swung his chakrams back and forth, slicing through men. "Yah!" he screamed spinning around and slicing more.

Larxene stood right next to him, throwing kunai, lunging in perfect sync. "Agh!" she screamed spinning around. A man with a cutlass had sliced her arm open, and it was now bleeding profusely.

"SON OF A WHORE!" she screamed, throwing a kunai into his throat. The man stumbled back and gurgled, then hit the ground. Larxene spun back around, kicking a man in the chest and knocking him down. Axel sliced him open cleanly before nabbing Larxene around the waist and kissing her mouth quickly.

"For luck!" he yelled, letting her go and slicing through someone else.

Larxene smiled and kept throwing kunai.

Luxord calmly stabbed people, and Zexion did the same. They were like robots, expressionless and invincible.

The crew fought and fought for what seemed like hours. A few fell, but the majorities of the fatalities were the Queen's men. When not another soldier was left standing, the fighting ceased.

Blood covered everyone, a mix of their own, their comrades' and their enemies'. Everyone was solemn as they looked at the fallen members. Luxord, Lexaeus, and Vexen were no longer with them. The life had flown from their bodies, never to return.

Slowly but surely, they made their way to the ship. There they would gather their friends and make a funeral pyre, and scatter the ashes to the wind.

It was a tragic victory at best.

**Ahh… drama and sadness **** I felt bad for killing them off, but I knew SOMEONE had to die and I was least emotionally attached to them. I'm not a big Xaldin and Xigbar fan either, but I figured I'd keep them.**

**So… you liiiiiike? You no liiiiiiike? **

**Tell me! Review darlings! **

**Oh, and if this doesn't make sense, I am so sorry. I wrote half of it then didn't touch it for months. Now I'm trying to fix it up. I started on that new How to Train Your Dragon story (Starcross'd) which I feel like a total dork for, but when I started on it I was so excited about it I totally dissed this and my other 2 stories that I desperately need to update… gah. New rule: NO MORE NEW STORIES! **

**~DEADRUNWAY**


	11. Yo Ho Ho Ho, a Bottle of Rum & All That

**I want to thank everyone who reviewed last chappie! I'm sorry, I haven't written in so long I forgot to keep up with who said what. And quite frankly, I'm too lazy to go look it up. SO! **

**COOKIE BUFFET FOR EVERYONE! **

**Axel: *ahem* Kingdom Hearts is not owned in any way, shape, or form by DeadRunway. All she owns is the plot. And she cries every night because of it. **

**Okay, !**

The crew slept soundly that night, despite the pain of losing the crew members. Namine and Kairi were huddled together against the cold, dreaming away. Roxas was sprawled across his bed, shirtless and unfeeling to the bitter cold of the air. Sora slept lightly, his hand curled around his dagger under his pillow.

Larxene stood leaning against the ship railing, her long blonde hair and black nightdress flowing in the wind. She sighed and leaned forward, pressing her head to the railing.

Was this worth it? If she could do it all again, would she make the same choice? Would she leave her family again? Become an outlaw, kill men, see her friends killed, steal from the rich, sail the seas, stand proud under the pirate flag?

Yes. Even after tonight, a night of loss, she would pick the life of a criminal over the life of being a pompous, pampered brat.

There was no question.

"Larxene? Why are you awake?"

She pulled herself upright immediately and turned around to see who her intruder was. She felt her breath catch in her chest.

Axel.

"I couldn't sleep." She said truthfully. "Too cold."

Axel smiled at her. "Well, I'm sure standing out on deck in nothing but a thin cotton nightdress helps that a lot."

She rolled her eyes. "Whatever, Axel." She said, turning back around to stare out to the sea. She felt his footsteps as he got closer to her. She shivered.

"Still cold, huh?" He said. His mouth was right next to her ear.

All of a sudden she was shaking harder, and it wasn't because of the biting cold. _What's the matter with you!_ She scolded herself. _He's just a man! It's not like you haven't been with a ton! _But that was the thing… Axel was different. She couldn't bring herself to toy with him mercilessly the way she could with other men. He was… almost untouchable. She wanted him to be happy. She cared about him more than she cared about anyone else.

That was terrifying. She's always been ruthless, sadistic, harsh, and cruel. But he made her want to cry with joy, frustration, confusion.

She gasped as she felt strong, rough hands slide up her arms.

"You're shaking." He whispered. "Didn't your mother ever tell you to dress warmly? You're going to get sick."

"Hah." She said. "It's not like you're dressed for the weather either, Axel darling."

He grinned. She was right. He was wearing a pair of coarse breeches and no shirt. But he didn't even feel the cold. He just focused on the deliciously fluttering feeling he got when he was around her.

He pulled her closer. She found herself resting against his chest, breathing in his scent. She smiled. Smoke and cinnamon. Warm and dangerous.

She turned around to face him.

"We can't do this." She whispered, placing her hands on his chest and pushing back slightly.

"Why not?" he said, pulling her back to him.

"We live the lives of pirates, Axel. We could go at any minute. The next fight could be our last. We never know. If we do this, losing each other will be that much harder." She whispered.

He cupped her chin with his hand. "You can't live like that, Lar-lar. You can't wait to die. You have to live while we still can."

"But… if something were to happen to you… I'd…"

He chuckled softly. "What's this?" he said, sliding his other hand around her waist. "The great, fearless, ruthless, Larxene admitting feelings for someone? The apocalypse must be on us!"

She blushed. "I'm still fearless and ruthless." She said, shaking his hand off her chin. "No matter what."

"Oh yes." He said. "I agree. But you're definitely not the same Amazonian warrior you were this morning. You grew a heart." He took her chin again and pressed his lips to hers. It was a sweet kiss, a soft kiss. Not flirty and playful like all the others. It meant something.

"Don't break it." She whispered when they pulled apart.

"You'd have to give it to me first, sweetheart." He pulled her close, so close it was like they were one person.

**Sora POV: Sora's Cabin**

The next morning, everyone was struggling to get their bearings and move on. No one spoke the fallen crew members' names; no one said a word about the fight. Hell, barely anyone said a word at all.

I paced in my quarters, angry, confused, and hurt. And something else. Something I couldn't name.

"AGH!" I screamed, slamming my fists against the wall. "Dammit!"

This was my fault. It was ALL my fault! If I hadn't been so stupid and gotten captured, if I had paid that damn whore off, then maybe… maybe they'd be alive. Maybe that fight last night wouldn't have happened. Maybe… hell, maybe a lot of things.

I picked up a dagger and slung it at the wall, piercing through the mahogany wood.

They were dead.

And it was my fault.

A knock on the door pulled me out of my anger filled daze, but only slightly. I felt like I was moving in slow motion as I walked towards the door and flung it open.

"WHAT?" I screamed, not even seeing who it was.

A small gasp issued from the person at the door. A gasp too dainty to be anyone of the crew. I looked down to see Kairi, wide eyed and angry.

"Kairi. Gods, I'm so sorry…" I tried.

"Watch who you're yelling at, asshole!" she snapped.

"Mother Mary!" I said, rubbing the back of my neck sheepishly. "I'm sorry, okay? I thought you were like… Axel or Demyx or something."

"It's fine." She huffed, crossing her arms. "I came to see if you were okay."

"I'm fine." I said shortly. I didn't want to talk to her. I didn't want to talk to anyone.

"Liar."

I sighed. "Come in, Kairi."

She walked right past me and sat on my bed as if she owned the place. She crossed her legs daintily and folded her hands primly.

I almost laughed. This girl, this fiery redhead, was moody enough to give Larxene a run for her money. She went from insulting and haughty to proud and proper in .09 seconds.

"So." She said. "Tell me what's wrong."

I walked over to my dresser, ignoring her demand. I picked up a carton of Wonderland cigarettes and took one out. I struck a match and lit up, taking a deep drag off the one-of-a-kind Wonderlandian tobacco rolled inside the paper.

"Want one?" I said, exhaling slowly. I held out the carton but she just walked right up and took my cigarette out of my mouth, taking a slow drag before exhaling a cloud of the turquoise smoke.

Handing it back to me, she persisted. "What's going on?"

I took a drag. Slowly. I was trying to buy time for a lie, but I was really just admiring her. She was lovely. Marluxia had brought back some dresses for her and Namine after the fight last night and she looked beautiful in the baby pink fabric. It was a short dress, strapless and flowy. It looked like Neverland silk.

"Nice dress." I said, gesturing to it with my cigarette.

"Don't change the subject." She said, whirling around and plunking back down on my bed. "Tell me what's wrong."

I sighed. Sinking down into a chair, I put my head in my hands. "It's my fault." I said.

There. I said it out loud.

"It's not your fault." She whispered.

"It is. They're dead, Kairi. And it's because of me."

"It's not because of you."

"It is."

"It's not!"

I looked up to see her standing right in front of me, biting her lip. "It is." I barely whispered.

She knelt in front of me. "It's not. No one knew what was going to happen last night, Sora. And I can bet you anything, if they had the chance, they'd do it again."

She took my face in her hands and made me look her dead in the eye. "No feeling sorry for yourself." She said firmly. "I feel sorry enough for the both of us. Your friends, my family. They're gone. And you can't bring them back, Sora. No matter how hard you try. There's a world you'll never be able to travel to. So no sorrow. No pain. They're happy. And we will be too, as soon as we realize that clinging onto them only hurts us more. You can't blame yourself. I can guarantee they don't blame you. You have to be strong. For the rest of the crew."

I knew she was right.

**Roxas POV: Captain's Chambers**

"It's a brilliant idea!" I crowed. "Marvelous!"

"Yeah, but Rox, it's a long shot. And dangerous. Really, really dangerous." Axel tried, yet again.

"Doesn't matter! We're pirates, lad! We live for danger! Yo, ho, ho, and a bottle of rum and all that." I insisted.

I was right. I'm always right. It was a perfect plan. All I needed was someone good enough to pull it off!

"Think about it, Axel. All I have to do is get someone to go in, dressed as a deliveryman, flirt with a few maids and figure things out. Then, as soon as we have a rundown of the place, get all the good information, find out what exits and entrances are always unsupervised and all the good things like that," I thump my fist down on my desk for good measure. "We attack!"

"Yeah, yeah. I mean, sure, it's a great plan. But who're you gonna get to do it? Sora's been recognized already, it's best to leave him here. Demyx's a coward. Larxene can't pull off a guy. Me, Marluxia, and Zexion are too recognizable because of the hair. The Gypsy Roses are out of the question. Too dainty. Saix, Xaldin, and Xigbar are too ugly. You can't because you'll do something rash." Axel said, counting people off on his fingers.

I sighed. Why was it so hard to find a pirate that blended in well?

"Fine." I said, sitting down on a chair. "We'll recruit. There are always adventure starved lads out in the world. Tell Xaldin to set sail for Port Royal!"

**Agh. Pointless. I'm so sorry that after the long wait, this was all I came up with. And I'm also sorry that it's so short! I just came up with this "new recruit" idea and I'm guessing I'm either going to be using OC's, Cloud, Leon, or some other poor unfortunate Kingdom Hearts or Final Fantasy person. Any ideas? If you do, tell me! **

**I promise it'll start picking up from here on out. I know I said that last chapter. But I really mean it this time! I gots some drama planned inside mah head, mmmhmm! Hehe. Did you think all that Larxel fluff at the beginning was pointless? NOT SO MY DARLINGS! **

**But you'll just have to read to find out, won't you? *evil smile***

**REVIEW! ^_^**

**~RUNWAY**


	12. Never Shall We Die

**Woop woop! Oh my gosh, I can't believe I actually wrote another chapter. This one's a sort of decent length… it took 5 pages. But anyways! Come on, guys, I PICKED NEW CHARACTERS! WHOOOO HOOOOO! Read! Read! READ! **

**3****rd**** Person POV, **_a pub in Port Royal the night of Roxas's decision _

"God, are there no decent men in this god-forsaken port?" Roxas roared, slamming down his glass of rum. "I have seen at least twenty, and I have yet to see ANYONE useful!"

"Calm down." Sora said, swinging his legs up on the table. "There's bound to be someone."

"Not since the Queen ran this place over." Axel muttered. "There's hardly a decent man left. They've all been recruited into the Militia or killed, which are about the same thing in my opinion." He took a drag on a cigar. "As far as I can tell, there's no one left but thieves, cowards, and politicians."

"Which are about the same thing in MY opinion." Sora said, taking a swig of rum.

They sat in sullen silence, eyeing the men of the bar. This hovel was apparently the one place the Queen's men didn't crawl into. This was either because they didn't know of it, or because they didn't care. Why bother with a small pub where no doubt hen pecked husbands came to drown their sorrows in a nice bit or port or rum? The three had snuck into the port wearing hoods, luckily it was raining heavily, and no one thought anything of the group of cloaked men moving quickly through the downpour.

"I give it another 10 minutes." Roxas growled. "Then we're leaving."

"Ah, gentlemen. Why don't you see what we can do for you first?"

Roxas looked up to see a medium built black haired man, a tall brunette, and a shorter blonde one. They were heavily armed. "And who are you?" he asked, taking a drag off a cigar and exhaling slowly.

"I am Terra. Terra Brightmore. This is my cousin, Ventus Eastman, and our friend, Zack Fair." The brunette said, gesturing to his two companions. The black haired and the blonde nodded. "We want to join your crew."

Roxas smiled. "Have a seat."

As the three men sat, Sora began to interrogate them. "So, what kind of training have you had?"

"My father is a blacksmith." Ventus said. "He specializes in the making and use of swords. He taught me well."

"You can make new swords?" Roxas asked, intrigued.

"Yes, sir. I can forge them, repair them, and fight with them. Quite well, if I say so myself."

"Amazing! And look at him, Sora! He looks like me! That could come in handy…" Roxas studied the blonde boy closer. "Not an exact match of course, but we all can't look this good can we? So what about you?" He gestured to Zack.

"I'm an orphan, sir. But I grew up on the streets of Port Royal. I'm a welcome man in any pub, shop, smithy, or brothel." He wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "I'm an expert in all odd jobs, swordplay, street fighting, guns, and the women."

"Fair enough. What about you, Mr. Brightmore?"

Terra smiled. "I'm a runaway. I was taken in by Ventus's father. We've both had the same training. But for a time I lived in the forests of Neverland with Peter Pan's boys. I can fight as well as them and I scalp as well as an Indian." He smiled wickedly.

Axel grinned. He liked these three. "You guys know what you're signing up for?" He asked nonchalantly.

"Not exactly."

"You're signing up to be a pirate, lads. Throw away every romanticized idea you've heard of us. You won't be getting treasure every day, you won't be seeing beautiful mermaids, and you won't be at port every night to be a welcome guest in the brothels." Here he threw a glance at Zack Fair. "You'll be worked harder than you've ever worked in your life and you may die doing it. Still sound appealing?"

"Lemme put it this way, mate." Ventus said, leaning across the table. "We're all headed for hell anyways. What've we got to lose?"

"And what do we have left here?" Terra asked, putting his arm on Ventus's shoulder.

"All that's here is the Queen and her men, taking away everyone and either killing them or sending them to fight in the Militia. Which is about the same thing." Zack threw in.

"I like you." Axel said. "Well, gentlemen?" He turned to Roxas and Sora. "What do we got?"

Roxas kicked his chair back against the wall. He grinned from under the brim of his hat. "Welcome aboard, mates. I already have a mission in mind for you."

**3****rd**** Person POV, **_Aboard the Luminata_

Namine sat on deck, staring out into the open sea. The sky was lovely. A nice, deep midnight blue. The ocean was the darkest velvety black. She sighed. _Roxas. _

Where was he? He'd been gone most of today and he'd been ignoring her since he told her to get out and forget what had happened between them. But how could she forget that? If she closed her eyes, she could hear his breath and she could feel his lips pressed against hers. It was better than anything she'd ever felt with Riku.

Riku.

Gods, how could she have forgotten? Here she was, mooning over some blonde jerk when the boy who loved her was rotting in Twilight Town Woods. How awful was she?

She leaned on the rail and put her head in her hands. "Oh my God…" She whispered.

"Nami?" a voice said.

Namine looked up to see her sister coming up behind her. "Hey, Kai." She said, wiping away the half way formed tears that lingered in her eyes. "How are you?"

"I'm fine. Of course, I'm not the one crying on the deck in the middle of the night." She leaned on the rail next to her sister.

"I'm not crying." Namine mumbled, resting her forehead on the rail. "I'm fine."

"Namine. I'm your twin. We've been together every step of the way for years. Tell me what's happening." She persisted, wrapping an arm around the blonde girl's shoulders.

Namine shook her head violently. If she said what she feared… then maybe, maybe Kairi would say it was true. And then she'd be a monster.

"Is it Riku?"

Namine's heart almost stopped. "H-how did you know?" She whispered.

"I go through it too, Nami. Tidus. Did you know he was going to propose to me the night the men attacked? Right before he said the words, they came. He picked me up and ran… and then an arrow got him through the chest. He never even said if he loved me. But the pain is still right there. And I know you feel it too."

Namine nodded miserably. "I watched him die, Kairi." She whispered. "I saw the man grab his hair and cut his head from his neck. I felt the blood hit my dress. I watched. And still I sit here as if we never had anything and I lust after Roxas. What's wrong with me?"

Kairi wrapped her other arm around Namine. "I know." She whispered. "I know. I feel it every time I see Sora."

"How do we get through it?" Namine whispered.

"The same way everyone's getting through Luxord, Lexaeus, and Vexen's deaths. You just keep going. We're not insulting their memory. We're just living."

Namine let herself cry into her sister's shoulder. She cried for Riku, for Tidus, for everyone who was lost that night. For Luxord, Lexaeus, and Vexen. For her mother and father. For Roxas. For everything.

_We're not insulting their memory… We're just living…_

**Axel POV, **_On board the Luminata_

Roxas finally left the damn pub. But only after he was escorted, singing loudly and calling for more ale, into the streets. This is why we try to steer him away from the bars when we come to port.

Unfortunately, we don't always succeed.

"YO HO, ALL TOGETHER, HOIST THE COLORS HIGH! HEAVE HO, THEIVES AND BEGGARS, NEVER SHALL WE DIEEEEEEEE!"

Like right now.

"Rox, shut up!" I hissed, jogging his elbow. "You're gonna call attention to the Queen's men!"

"Hah! The Queen!" My illustrious captain slurred. "Shee's nuffink but a low down hoor!"

"Shhh!" I hissed.

Sora rolled his eyes. Ventus, Terra, and Zack were staring at their new employer.

"He's not always like this, I promise." I said. They nod disbelievingly. Ah well. They'll get used to him eventually. We all did.

"XION!" Roxas sobbed, clutching at Sora's arm. "Ohhh, mah Xion! Mah love! Mah darlink! She's dead!"

Sora shook him off. "No she's not Roxas, now come on!"

"Who's Xion?" Zack asked.

"Long story."

"THE QUEEN AND HISH MEN… SHTOLE DA KING FROM HER BED! AND BONED HER IN HER BINDSH! THE SHEAS BE POWERS, AND BYYYY OURS! WHERE WE WILL, WE'LL ROAM!"

"Shut up, mate!" Sora yelled, slapping Roxas. "You're getting the lyrics wrong!"

"Am not! Am not shinging the lyricsh wrong! I'm shinging them right! I'm the captain, I am! And I'm shinging the lyricsh…"

"Whoa!" I said, snatching Roxas's arm as he fell. "Looks like he's out, mate." I said to Sora.

"Good!" he said irritably. "You three, help carry him."

So the five of us carried our very, very drunk and very, very unconscious captain back to the ship quickly.

"Take him right here." I directed, as we walked onto the deck. "Open the door, Sora, will ya?"

Sora pulled open the door and we stumbled in, depositing Roxas unceremoniously on the bed.

"Well." Sora said. "Come on. I'll get you three a cabin, and tomorrow morning we'll introduce you to the rest of the crew."

**NEXT MORNING!**

"Get up, mates!" Zack yelled, throwing a pillow at Ventus. "We're pirates!"

"Gerroff me, ya damn lunatic!" Ventus growled. Zack ignored him and continued beating him with pillows.

"We'll meet lovely maids, get in glorious fights, nab wonderful treasures, and drink up me hearties, yo ho!" The black haired boy crowed, jumping around the room.

Terra watched him, amused. "More than likely, we'll end up being powder monkeys or something of the like." He mused, fingering a dagger he kept in a small sheath at his side.

"I'll be damned if I'm a powder monkey!" Ventus hollered. "I'll be a goddamn swordsman, the best there is!"

"Ooh, will you now?" Zack said, grinning. "Can you beat me though, young one?"

"Don't call me that, I'm only a year younger than you!" Ventus lashed out hotly.

"Yeah, and Zack's two years younger than me, which makes ME the leader." Terra said.

"Ooh, look at me, I'm a big bad nineteen year old!" Zack said, pulling a face at Terra. "Honestly, Ter, two years isn't that much!"

"Timewise, no. Maturitywise? I think there's a huge difference."

"Are you calling me immature? That's not what your last girlfriend said, mate!"

"Why you little!"

**Roxas POV, **_Captain's Chambers_

Jesus, Mary, and Holy St. Joseph. My head was about to explode.

"Axel…" I moaned. I rolled over in bed and fought the wave of nausea. "AXEL!" Aw, god! No roaring with a hangover!

"Yeah?" the little bastard said, popping his head in at my door.

"Don't 'yeah' at me, you son of a whore. What happened last night?"

"Eh, before or after you drank all the rum in the Compass Pub?" he asked, all cocky. I should get up and slap that cocky look off his face.

I lifted my head up. Awww! Never mind. I'll slap him later. "Both." I demanded.

"Well, you recruited three new men. And then you proceeded to drink and drink and drink and then you tried to fight the bartender and he had us kindly escorted out of the building."

"Which would explain why my arse is sore, then."

"Aye."

"Well. Tell the crew I'm not to be disturbed. I have to sleep this off. Introduce my new recruits to the men and then tonight to me." I said, burying my face into the pillows.

"Right away, Roxas." Axel said, turning to leave.

"AND BRING ME SOME DAMN BLACK COFFEE!"

Aw, Jesus! Dammit! No roaring!

**You liiiiiike? Haha, poor Roxas and his drunkenness. And his hangover. It sounds like it sucks. But hey! I'm done with chapter 12! Review for me, guys! Please! **

**AND HAVE A HAPPY THANKSGIVING!**

**Roxas: dammit, Runway! Stop roaring!**

**Runway: RRRROOOOOAAAARRRR! **

**Roxas: Hoor! **


	13. Of Love, Danger, and Missions

"Line up, men!" Axel called, marching across the deck.

"Hey!"

Axel sighed. "Excuse me, Larxene. Line up, men and woman!"

"Thank you."

The crew lined up in front of Axel and the three strange men they'd never seen. Kairi and Namine stood a little off to the side, watching with growing curiosity. Who were they?

"Alright!" Sora yelled, taking over from Axel. "We have three new able bodied men. We picked 'em up in Port Royal last night. Here they are!" He gestured Zack, Ventus, and Terra forward.

"This is Zack Fair, Terra Brightmore, and Ventus Eastman. They are well trained in swordplay and know what they're doing. Hopefully they'll be valuable assets to the_ Luminata_." Axel said.

"You three! This is the crew. This is Larxene, our one woman. She's very dangerous and I suggest you don't try anything, do I make myself clear, Zack?" Sora said, staring pointedly at the black haired boy.

"Awright, awright! Jesus! No messing with the blonde, I got you." Zack said, cheeks turning red.

"Good. This is Marluxia, that's Zexion, there's Demyx, Xigbar, Xaldin, and that's Saix. You know me and Axel. And Roxas is somewhere below." Sora pointed to each member as he went down the list.

"Who're those two over there?" Ventus asked, pointing slightly to Namine and Kairi.

Sora grinned. "Those two, are our local royalty. Say hello to Namine and Kairi Arcos, the Gypsy Roses."

Terra smiled and waved, earning a sweet smile and shy wave from the twins. Ven just stared open mouthed.

Zack whistled lowly. "Hello, lovely." He said, walking up to Namine and Kairi. "I'm Zack Fair, expert swordsman and your local Prince Charming." He kissed their hands. "Would either of you like to-"

"ZACK!" Sora roared.

"Sorry! Sorry!" Zack yelled, running back to hide behind Terra. "They're off limits too, I'm guessing?"

"YES!"

Terra shook his head at his friend. "Bad move, mate."

Ven hadn't moved from staring at the two girls.

"Oy, cousin! Shut your trap. You're drooling on your shirt." Terra said, tapping his cousin's shoulder.

Ven snapped his mouth closed and looked back at Axel, who was obviously giving orders.

"You three, go with Sora. Captain's giving you a mission." He said, gesturing to Sora's cabin.

Zack, Terra, and Ven nodded and turned and followed Sora.

Axel walked over to Larxene and caught her by her fingertips. "Wait." He whispered.

"What is it?" she asked, looking around to make sure no one was watching. "What's wrong?"

"Axel. We can't do this here. Not right now. Too many people." She ignored the fact that the deck was completely empty except for them.

"No, Larxene. We need to talk." He took her whole hand in his and looked her dead in the eye. "I need to know if you…" He took a deep breath. "If you want me."

"God, Axel!" She yelled, throwing down a kunai she had in the folds of her coat. It stuck in the wood of the ship. "If I didn't do you think I'd deal with you and your crap?"

He smiled. "No. And quite frankly, I wouldn't put up with you either, love."

**Sora POV: **_Captain's Office_

"Alright you three." He said, lowering himself behind Roxas's desk. "My highly intoxicated brother took you on this ship because he had a specific mission in mind for you."

Terra, Ven, and Zack nodded.

"You all know the Queen's reign is getting more and more out of control. And you all know that we can't have that. There are far too many good men being put into her Militia and dying."

They nodded again.

"But that's not our reason for doing what we're doing. We're a bit of a rescue team. The Princess of the Land of Dragons, Xion, has been captured by Acantha. She is being held at the castle and is in desperate need of aid."

"What does that have to do with us, sir?" Ventus asked timidly.

"Don't 'sir' me. I'm not your captain. I'm Sora." Sora sighed, covering his face with his hands. "The reason is… and I don't know if I should be telling you this, but I'd rather tell you than have you hear it from someone else. Roxas and I are not vagrant pirates. We're royalty."

Terra's eyes widened. "The princes of Hollow Bastion?"

"The very same. We're old friends of King Cheng-Gong, the king of the Land of Dragons. Our family has aided him many times during wars and he has done the same for us. When he disappeared, it only seemed fair that we rescue his child." _No point in bringing in Roxas and Xion's romance. _He thought. _That's his private business. We'll leave it at this._

"Alright. So, we're saving the princess." Zack said, fingering the hilt of the huge sword he kept at his side at all times.

"That's the general idea, yes."

"Okay! So what d'you want us to do?" Ven said, looking excited.

Sora smiled. "This mission is going to take a bit of going. I'm going to need Zack to go in first. We'll travel to the Queen's castle; she's taken over the one the monster the Beast used to reside in. Rumor is she's killed him. Zack will pretend to be a delivery boy and flirt with a maid, one that seems to gossip. You do whatever you must to get her to trust you and to talk, Zack. You'll have plenty of time; you'll be there for the night."

"I like this mission already." Zack grinned.

"And then I want you to report back to us the next morning. We'll send Axel to pick you up and take you back to the ship. After that, you'll tell us anything and everything you've learned. Then we'll go from there."

"Sounds fair enough." Terra said briefly. "Are we going too?"

"You'll be there to ensure his safety and make sure Axel gets to him in the morning and that nothing goes wrong. Zexion has already made arrangements for the two of you to stay in an inn called the Red Stripe. You'll see it right away; the door is decorated in red and black stripes."

"Excellent!" Ventus said. "When do we leave?"

"We're on our way to the Beast's Estate now. We'll be there by nightfall."

**~XxXxX~**

**Later That Night…**

Sora thrust a few loaves of bread and a small barrel of ale in Zack's hands. "Don't drink it." He said, glaring.

Zack rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly. "I wasn't going to!"

"Hmph. Sure." Sora said. "You're lucky you weren't raised like a noble. Your accent and way of walking are very common."

"Hey!"

"That's good, mate! I had to learn how to walk like a commoner when I went under cover. You'll be very easy. But make your grammar a bit worse. Remember, you're only a poor delivery boy wanting to make your delivery and sleep somewhere warm." Sora said, grinning.

"Oh he won't forget the sleeping warm part, I assure you." Terra said, aiming a kick at his friend's legs.

Zack just grinned wickedly.

"Ven, Terra, I want you to follow him, but be discreet! You need to be able to remember what entrance he goes into and how to get around quickly and quietly. Look for getaways and detours. Find the path the guards are least likely to follow if we're discovered and need a quick escape."

"Aye." The blonde and brunette said together.

"Here." A gruff voice said.

The four boys turned to see a very rough looking Roxas, his hair sticking up in all directions. "You'll need these." He held out a pair of crystals with long strings attached to them. **[A/N: Yes, I stole these from The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker. Don't judge me.]** "Xion gave me these before she was captured. They're magic; I'm guessing her father or Master Yen Sid enchanted them. They're sort of like communications. You talk through one and the person with the other one can hear you and respond. Quite useful." He clapped the pair of rocks into Terra's hands. "Take care of them."

"Thank you, sir."

"Thanks, Captain."

"Thanks, sir."

Roxas nodded approvingly at the three boys. "You'll do fine." He turned back to his quarters. "SOMEONE BRING ME SOME DAMN COFFEE!" he roared, clutching his head. "NOW!"

Sora sighed. "I'm ashamed to call him family sometimes." He shook his head. "But he means well."

The four looked out over the ship's railing. The Castle was getting closer. They could see the outlines of the gargoyles that topped the roof and the balconies.

"Looks a lot more sinister than it did when we were last here." Sora muttered.

They neared the shore.

"Quickly, men." Sora said, rushing them out. "Go through the woods. Once you get Zack to the Castle, backtrack through the woods. Make a trail. Then come around the shore and go to the village so you look like innocent travelers and not men doing a dangerous business in the forests."

"Aye, aye." The three said.

**IN THE FOREST! **

"Dammit!" Ven muttered. "How many of these damn roots are there? That's the third time I've tripped."

"Watch your language, young one. And it's a FOREST. There're bound to be roots. There kind of part of the tree…" Terra sighed, picking his was over a few fallen limbs.

"Don't call me young one." Ven grumbled. "Are we almost there?"

"Nearly. There's the castle, just over that ridge." Zack pointed to a large, sinister building looming in the distance. "You two had better go back to town. It's a straight shot from here to the castle. I'll find my own way."

"Alright. Take this. If you need anything, call us immediately." Terra said, pressing one of the crystals into Zack's hand.

"Alright."

"Safe journey, brother."

"Same to you."

With that, Van and Terra turned and followed the narrow dirt path back to the village at the foothills of the mountains, leaving Zack all alone. Zack smiled and pulled his hood up. It was time to get going. Tonight would most certainly be fun…

**On the **_**Luminata**_, **3****RD**** POV**

Kairi and Namine stood up against the railing of the _Luminata_ as the three new recruits headed off to Acantha's castle. They watched them shrink into the distance until they became tiny points of darkness, and then at last, weren't even visible. The sun had sunken down into the mountains long ago, leaving the world dark. Tiny pinpoints of light studded the sky, and a round, fat moon shone sweetly.

Namine sighed.

"What is it?" her sister asked, concerned. "Not still worried about all that Riku stuff are you?"

Namine ignored the slight twinge in her chest and shook her head. "No…" she said quietly. "It's something else."

"What then?"

But before Namine even had time to answer, Zexion came up to her and tapped her on the shoulder lightly.

"Sorry, miss." He said formally. "But that captain is in a very bad mood and anyone in the crew is likely to get a dagger thrown at him if he enters Roxas's room. He seems to tolerate you very well. Would you be so kind as to…?" He held up a pot of coffee and an empty mug.

"Of course." Namine said, fighting down the butterflies that were beginning to storm in her stomach. She took the coffee and mug from the purple haired youth. "No problem."

Zexion looked very relieved. "Thank you." He said, bowing.

As he turned to leave Kairi leaned to Namine. "He's an odd one isn't he?" she whispered. Namine laughed. "Well, in any case." The redhead continued. "Go see Roxas. But be careful."

Namine nodded and made her way to the Captain's rooms.

**Alright. So I'm done with this chapter. The last two were really really shitty, I'm thinking about deleting them and doing rewrites. If I do, I'll post it on the chapter after this. SO KEEP READING DEARS! **

**And for real, will someone review for me? A really nice, long review. Tell me what you think! What you like, what I could do better, what you hate. Tell me! I need to know so if there's any confusion I can fix it. **

**Okay, thank you all for reading thus far! **

**~DEADRUNWAY**


	14. I Want You To Love Me!

**Hello all! Say hello to my next chapter! I do think this is getting rushed… So if and when you review, will you please rate my chapters on a rush scale of 1 – 10 so I know how far to slow down? (10 being uber high and 1 being uber low) Gracias!**

**Now I must hand out some long awaited cookies. **

**AKAAkira: I agree about the soccer ball. I love you analogy for that :D Zack Fair is a character from one of the Final Fantasy Games. He's got black hair and carries a ginormic sword. Google his name for a picture of him. He looks pretty epic in my opinion. **

**Misfortune XIII: Thanks for the lengthy review I do appreciate it :D Hopefully after this chapter you Namixas-ness will be slightly less dry! And dude, SO many people hate Xion! Poor child. I feel kinda bad for her, she's being tortured and whatnot and then half my reviewers want her to just hurry up and die already! **

**XShiori-chanX: I'm totally a lazy butt too. The only thing I don't procrastinate about is writing. Aaand I'm also too lazy for this line break… but if it's that confusing I'll totally get over my lazy butt-ness and do it!**

**To everyone who reviewed chapter 12: You are much loved.**

**Now. ON WITH THE BLOODY PIRATES!**

**Disclaimer: Haven't we been through this? I own no one but Audrey. That stupid slut. And Acantha. None of the other characters are mine, none I tell you, NONE! *runs away crying***

Namine tiptoed up to Roxas's door, her breath coming haltingly. What if this was a repeat of the last time? What if he scorned her? What if he threw the coffee mug at her and screamed for her to leave him? What if she cried? She couldn't risk that kind of humiliation; she couldn't let him see her tears._ I never want to see you cry…_ He was a liar. He'd make her cry. He'd tell her how worthless she was and then he'd go back to sulking about his precious Xion… That stupid pampered brat… He'd make her—

_Whoosh._

The door opened with a gust of wind. Roxas stood in front of her, barely dressed in a pair of fraying, torn cotton breeches and no shirt. Namine could feel the blood rise to her face as she took in his toned torso. His skin was a light gold and his muscles were defined but in a delicate manner. The tracings of six-pack abdominals were there, the lines a darker shade of gold.

"You gonna keep staring or are you gonna tell me what you want?" He said lowly. His voice held no malice, but no joy either. It was simply flat, almost deadpan.

Namine blushed ruby. "I-I brought you coffee…" she whispered, looking at her slipper encased feet. "Y-you s-said you wanted some…"

Roxas sighed and began to take the hot pot and mug away from her. She held it out at the same time, causing their hands to bump together and jolt the pot, spilling the dark liquid all over her dress.

"AH!" She yelled, dropping the pot and mug. "Gods, it's HOT!"

Roxas grabbed her dress and held it off her legs, attempting to keep the burning hot liquid from burning her white skin. "St. Joseph!" He cried. "Come on, come in!"

He led the girl into his rooms and waved the hem of her dress up and down, trying to cool it. "You're gonna have to take it off." He said. "It's cool, but it's ruined and wet. You'll catch your death walking around in it."

"No!" Namine said, shaking her head fervently. "I'll go back to my own rooms and change, please!"

"What, and have me look like an ass? They'll think I threw it at you, no matter how much you deny and say it was an accident." He said. "I insist."

Namine still shook her head, but allowed him to lead her over to the dressing table. He turned her around and helped untie the lacings at the back of her dress. Namine shivered, trying to ignore the cool touch of his fingers against her skin. The lacings started just underneath her shoulder blades, and went down to the crests of her hips.

Roxas tried to ignore his growing blush as he unlaced her baby blue dress. The flowing fabric slipped easily through his fingers, and the velvet ties were soft and lush. He finished the last tie and took her by her shoulders and turned her to face him. Her face was just as red as his, he was sure of it.

"I'm just going to…" He faltered. He cleared his throat. "I'll find you something to wear then, shall I?"

He turned smartly around and began to rummage in the drawers of his dresser, pulling out a soft white cotton shirt with billowy sleeves bound tightly around the wrists and a pair of soft black breeches.

"Here." He said, holding them out to her. "They're a bit small for me, but they'll still be big on you."

She took them timidly, using one hand to hold up the ruined dress over her corset. "Th-thank you." She whispered. She stood there awkwardly, not knowing exactly what to do.

"Well, go on and change, then!" He said, waving a hand at her. "Don't mind me; I'm not looking at you." He turned away from her and picked up a jeweled dagger and a whetstone off his nightstand and began to sharpen the blade with long, slow strokes.

Namine let go of the front of her dress and let it hit the floor. The heavy cotton and linen blend made a soft thud on the mahogany flooring. She blushed as it did and slipped off her underskirt quickly, until she was standing in only her corset and chemise. She picked up the breeches and pulled them on, tucking the chemise into the waistband, and then tugged the shirt on over her corset. She gave herself a once over in the mirror before turning around to face Roxas.

He looked at her thoughtfully. "Not half bad." He smiled. "You would make a stunning pirate lass, you know."

Namine blushed again and mumbled her thanks quietly. She looked down at her feet, unaware of him closing in on her.

"Namine…" he whispered.

She looked up at him, her azure eyes meeting his beryl ones. "Yes?" she whispered back.

"Do you understand why I am so rude to you?"

She shook her head slightly.

"Because you make me forget her. Xion, I mean. I can't forget her, don't you see? I promised I would always come for her, no matter what." He captured a loose tendril of hair and tucked it behind her ear. "Do you understand?"

Namine nodded, willing the lump in her throat to go away. _Hush_. She thought. _Hush, Roxas. Don't say this. Let me pretend I still have a bit of hope. _

He cupped her chin in his hand. "The day she disappeared was the day I was to be married to a warrior princess, Mandisa of Deep Jungle. Our wedding feast had been prepared and my bride was standing at the altar, her ebony skin was painted with bright red. But I never showed up. I insulted her, her tribe, and my family. But it didn't matter. I was on my way to the Land of Dragons to see Xion. But when I got there, her palace had been destroyed. Her servants told me Acantha had captured her. I remembered what I had promised her. And I knew I had to uphold that promise. So I turned from prince to renegade pirate, and picked up a crew with my brother."

Namine shook her head. "Why are you telling me all this, Roxas?" she asked, trying her hardest to keep the sobs out of her throat.

"Because you deserve to know why we can't be. I want to feel something for you, Namine. But I can't let myself. I promised." He dropped her face and took a step back. "I can love you, you know. But only like a sister. Will you be happy as my sister?"

_No! _Her heart screamed. _Nononono! I will not be happy as your sister! I want you to love me! _She forced a smile. "Yes." She said. "I would be very happy."

Roxas smiled. "Then go on, my sister. Go back to your rooms. Sleep sweet." He kissed the top of her head and turned back to sharpening his dagger.

Namine tiptoed back out of the room, waiting until the door closed before she let a sob tear from her throat. She ran to her quarters, tears streaming down her face.

When she left, Roxas stared at the door. Telling her that had broken his heart. How was it possible? He'd almost allowed himself to fall in love with that flaxen haired, fragile little wench. He couldn't love two people. It was impossible. He jerked open a drawer and pulled out a miniature portrait of Xion in traditional Chinese dress. She smiled at him from behind a fan. _I love you. _He thought, wishing she could hear him. _Only you.  
_

**3****rd**** Person POV, Beast's Castle**

Zack rapped smartly on the back door to the Castle, holding his ale and bread in front of him. "Oi!" he called. "Delivery!"

A sweet looking lass in a russet work dress with a pristine white apron and mob cap opened the door. "Yes?" she asked, smiling.

Zack smiled back at her, appreciating her rosy lips. "Delivery for Her Majesty's kitchens."

"Thank you." She giggled. "Would you like to bring those in?"

"That I would, miss." He stepped inside the kitchen, smartly tapping the dirt off his boots at the door. The kitchens were bustling with maids and serving boys in the russet livery. A big woman with a red face stirred a large pot and called for ingredients loudly. People rustled around, chopping potatoes, churning butter, cracking eggs, and basting sides of meat roasting on multiple spits. The brick walls radiated the pleasant heat from the cook fires and the air was thick with the smell of sweetmeats and fresh bread and sizzling meat.

"Just place the ale over there." The girl said, pointing to a corner that was piled high with caskets of wine. "And put the bread on the table there."

Zack did as he was told and walked back to the girl. "And what is your name, pretty?" He asked as he followed her up a set of stairs and through the winding servants' passages.

"I'm Audrey." She said, flashing him yet another sweet smile. "Audrey Ambrose."

"That's a right lovely name." He said, taking a few running steps to catch up with her. "I'm Dane Carrington." He thought it was best not to use his real name, as he sometimes ended up on wanted lists here and there due to petty thievery.

"Pleasure to meet you, Mr. Carrington." She bobbed a quick curtsy.

"Ah, do call me Dane, Miss Ambrose." He said, capturing one of her hands and holding it close to his heart. "I would very much appreciate it." He grinned dashingly.

Miss Ambrose giggled, holding her free hand up to cover her full rose colored mouth. "Oh it's not proper, sir!" She insisted, still laughing.

Zack smiled. "Oh, but why dwell on what is proper and what is not?" He let go of her hand and took her waist. "Call me Dane, please. I'd like very much to hear it from your sweet mouth."

Miss Ambrose giggled again. "Very well." She said, still smiling. "But only if you call me Audrey."

"I shall." He let go of her waist and swept off his cap. "How do, Audrey?" He said, sweeping a formal bow. She laughed as he straightened and set his cap back on his head with a flourish.

"Well enough, Dane." She said, bobbing a curtsy.

Zack smiled at her. "Only well enough?" He asked, capturing her waist again and pulling her close. "I should think someone as beautiful as you would be doing splendidly."

She giggled again. Zack smiled in spite of the irritation that was bristling at her incessant laughter. At least she was pretty to look at. She had magnolia white skin and chestnut hair, and long dark lashes fringed her clear green eyes. Her heart shaped face was sweet, and her perfectly upturned nose and Cupid's bow mouth made her look like a china doll in a shop.

Zack stroked her face. "You ARE quite beautiful, Audrey." He murmured, his breath tickling her cheek.

"And you're quite handsome." She answered, wrapping a hand around his shoulders.

Zack smiled. He'd picked well. A talkative, easy girl. This should be a snap. "You know…" he said, stroking her neck. "We're quite alone in this passage, and I don't believe anyone should miss you what with all that hullabaloo going on up there…"

Audrey smiled again, but protested. "But I must help!" she said, closing her eyes as he brushed her collarbone with his fingers.

"Help with what?" Zack inquired. "What's the occasion?"

"Her Majesty is hosting a grand ball for all the nobles in all the land. It's to be held in two days' time. I'm supposed to be helping cook for the feast…" She trailed off as he kissed her cheek softly. "That's not proper either, it's not." She said softly.

"But you never said you didn't want it…" Zack murmured. He kissed her cheek again.

"No…" She leaned her face against his shoulder. "But I really must be getting back…"

"Of course, of course." Zack soothed. "But tell me a bit about this ball. Are you invited?"

"Of course not!" Audrey's eyes snapped open. "I'm nothing but a serving maid and a seamstress. Nothing important."

"I think you're dreadfully important." Zack said into her ear.

She giggled. "Important enough for the Queen's masque?"

"A masque?" Zack inquired. "Yes, I think you're quite well suited for such a lavish event. You'd be the most gorgeous woman there. You wouldn't even have to dress up. You'd be the loveliest if you wore a burlap sack."

Audrey laughed again. "That's blasphemy against the Queen. Her Majesty is ever beautiful… You should see her costume. Her ladies in waiting and she are being the Seven Deadly Sins… And Her Majesty is to be Lust."

"I think you could play that part beautifully." Zack whispered, nuzzling her neck. "You're making me want you so very much…"

Audrey smiled. "I think I want you too…" She mumbled into his ear. "I'll take you to my room… And then I can meet you when the rest of the serving maids go to bed…"

"That sounds wonderful…" Zack whispered, letting his hand slide a little lower than her waist.

Audrey gasped at his hand, but said nothing. "Come." She said. "I'll take you there." **[A/N: SKANK ALERT.]**

They clasped hands and she led him through a hallway and then into a side door. The room was sparsely furnished, holding nothing but a bed big enough for two, a small vanity, and a small wardrobe. The bedclothes were the same russet color as the livery the servants wore.

"Here." Audrey said. "I'll come meet you later. I'll be back soon. Don't leave."

Zack took her waist in both hands and pressed her to him. He slid one hand up her back and caressed her shoulders. "I won't." He brought his mouth to hers roughly, surprising her.

She leaned back and smiled. "Later." She said, kissing him again.

"Later." He whispered back. He waited until she had gone through the door and he couldn't hear her footsteps anymore. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the crystal.

"Hey… Ven? Terra?" He said into it, feeling ridiculous for talking to a rock.

"Zack?" Ven's voice said. The crystal was emitting a faint glow.

"Hey! I'm in, and I've news. Where's Terra?" Zack said, pacing across the bare wood floors.

"Right here, Z." Terra's rich voice cut in smoothly. "What's up?"

"The Queen is holding a masque in two days. She's inviting all the nobles from the surrounding lands."

"That's great!" Ven said enthusiastically. "We can sneak in!"

"My thoughts exactly." Zack agreed, plunking down on Audrey's bed. "I'll meet you tomorrow morning and we'll tell the Captain."

"Alright." Terra said. "We'll see you first thing tomorrow morning, right before sunrise. Try really hard not to wake up the girl you're with. She'll ask awkward questions. And get out of there before the cook wakes. You don't want anyone to see you."

"Right." Zack said. "I'll see you two in the morning. I've business to take care of…" He smiled wickedly.

"Don't wanna know!" Ven yelled. "Bye!"

Zack laughed. "Farewell!" He said to his comrades, and then he pocketed the stone again. He smiled and stretched out across Audrey's bed. Tonight was going to be a good night…

**3****rd**** Person POV, Aboard the **_**Luminata,**_** Sora's Chambers**

Sora lay stretched across his bed, lazily throwing darts at a target on the opposite wall. He threw his last one and leaned over to his nightstand and took a long draught from a bottle of rum. "Yo ho, all together. Hoist the colors high. Heave ho, thieves and beggars..."**[A/N: 3 PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN!]** He sang softly. He got to his feet and walked to the wall, pulling all his darts loose from the target. A soft knock at the door interrupted him. "Never shall we die…" He finished as he walked over and pulled his door open. There in front of him stood that little redheaded hellcat. He grinned. "Hello, Kairi."

She looked up at him through her bangs. "Hello."

"And to what do I owe this great pleasure?" He asked, taking a swig from his rum bottle.

Kairi smiled. "Give me a sip of that and I'll let you bask in my company for free."

Sora smiled and handed her the bottle. She drained it and tossed the empty bottle on his bed. "Gonna let me in?" She inquired coyly.

"Depends." He answered easily. "You gonna smoke all my cigarettes too?"

"Depends." She answered, pushing past him and stepping into his room. She took in the site of him. She wanted to remember this. The color of his tawny skin and the lines of his bare chest and the deep azure of his breeches. The lovely color of his eyes. The chocolate color of his hair.

He closed the door and turned towards her. "On what, may I ask?" He took a step closer to her. They were only two feet apart.

She took a deep breath and closed the distance between them in one stride. "On whether or not you let me kiss you." She said softly.

Sora looked at her for a moment. Then without a word he took her face in his hands and bent his neck down, crushing his mouth to hers.

**Can I just say, I've been wanting to write that moment between them for a long time? I hope this doesn't sound too rushed. I tried to keep the Namixas lurv to a minimum for a bit and put in the "sister" bit. That's actually happened to me before. Except it wasn't the same situation and I was talking to a boy who'd liked me for years and I'd know him since we were like, born. But I did tell him that I could only love him like my brother. **

**ANYWAYS. **

**Does anyone have any ideas as to what should go down at Acantha's party? I think I got an idea, but I'd love to know what you guys think.**

**Bee tee dubz, my views on my story stats for this have freaking SKYROCKETED. I only wish I could say the same for my review rates… **** And I've lost a few older reviewers which makes me sad. The people who were with me through chappie numero uno are all gone. But hey, if I get some new reviewers and some sha-weeeeet reviews, I'll be happy :D**

**Zack: Hehe. I'm a badass.**

**Runway: No, you're a manwhore.**

**Zack: A USEFUL man whore. **

**Sora: Yeah, except I have to be a freaking cockblock so you'll leave mah babe alone!**

**Kairi: *waves shyly at Zack***

**Zack: *winks at Kairi*Hey there, babe. **

**Sora: WHY YOU! NOBODY WINKS AT MY GIRLFRIEND! *goes all Master Form***

**Runway: Welp. Now you've done it. Good job. **

**Zack: *gulps***

**Sora: AAAAGGGGHHHHHHHHH!**

**Violence ensues. **

**REVIEW DARLINKS! **

**~RUNWAY~**


	15. Axel's Story

Xion had finally figured it out. It was quite simple, really. All she had to do was give Acantha false information, and then the Queen would kill her. It was easy. She had no idea where her father was, but it couldn't be that hard to make up a story, right? Besides, hadn't she heard Acantha whispering to the two crones?

"_As soon as she talks, tell me directly. Then slit her pretty little neck. She doesn't have the guts to lie to us."_

They didn't know. No one knew. There was absolutely nothing Xion wouldn't do for release. For death. She'd do it the night after the party. That would be the year anniversary of when Roxas told her he loved her. She'd die that night, and then join him in Hell.

It was perfectly simple.

She smiled and closed her eyes, drifting into a deep, easy, dreamless slumber.

**3rd POV, Audrey's Room**

Zack sat up in bed and looked out the single window. It was still dark outside, but he knew by the way the stars were fading that the sun would be up soon. Audrey mumbled in her sleep, curling up into a ball under her thick covers. Zack looked down at her. Her chestnut hair was mussed and her lips were still swollen from kisses. Her bare shoulders and one bare leg peeped out from around the russet blanket.

Zack slipped out of bed quietly, without making so much as a sound. He tried to ignore the fact that he'd done this many times before. Leaving them always made him feel guilty, he knew they'd cry. He shrugged. This was a mission, after all. Never mind the fact that she had let him do anything he'd wanted to, said all the right things and made all the right sounds, and never mind the fact that he had whispered empty promises of love the entire night. It was only a mission, and he'd never see her again.

He pulled on his breeches and shirt, quickly finding his hat, cloak, and boots as well. He tiptoed to the door, pulling it open gently.

"Don't go." Audrey mumbled, not even opening her eyes.

Zack sighed and walked back to her bed. He kneeled beside it and got eye to eye with her. "I'll come right back." He lied. "Right back."

"Promise?" She murmured.

"I swear, my lovely." He said. He kissed her mouth softly and then got up and left, shaking off guilt. He slipped out the door and then went down the hallway. He navigated his way through the servant's passages and slipped through the dark kitchen, making his way out the door. He took the crystal out of his pocket and held it up to his lips.

"Ter? Ven?" He said quietly. The crystal glowed.

"Z? We're on our way, mate. Sit tight." The crystal said with Terra's voice. "Axel's here, too. We're about to pay the innkeeper and then we're coming."

"Awright. See you in a bit then," Zack answered.

"Aye." Terra said. Someone said something in the background. "Axel says watch yourself. He saw guards out this morning. Hide in the woods."

"Aye." Zack said. "You watch out, too. You're no use to me dead."

"Nor you to us, brother." The crystal stopped glowing and Zack slipped it back in his pocket.

All he had to do was wait.

**3rd POV, **_**Sora's Chambers**_

Sora opened his eyes blearily. His cabin was still dark; the sun had yet to rise all the way. He stretched out, yawning as his corded muscles flexed and untangled themselves. He shook himself awake and reached for a bottle of rum next to him. It was almost empty, he noticed, disappointed. He swallowed the last bit and looked up across the room to his bed.

A small lump was in the middle of the mattress, curled up with a shock of red hair sticking out from underneath. He smiled and rose from his chair, walking to his bed. He pulled up the covers and slipped in, wrapping his arms around the girl that formed the lump. She stretched out and buried her face into his chest.

"Good morning." He said into her hair, planting a kiss right on the crown of her head.

"It's not morning till the sun's up." She yawned, holding him tighter.

Sora chuckled. "Sure it is. Apollo just hasn't made it this way yet."

Kairi looked up at him, her eyes still bleary with sleep. "Who's Apollo?" She mumbled.

Sora smiled. "Apollo's a god that they worship in the villages around the Olympus Coliseum. Every morning he rides a chariot pulled by flaming, flying horses across the sky, dragging the sun with him."

"That's ridiculous."

"Some people believe it. The Greeks have all sorts of gods. From thunderbolts to marriage, wisdom to night. Everything's covered."

"Do they have a god of war?"

"Of course."

Kairi wiggled up so she was face to face with him. "And love?" She asked, her voice was barely above a whisper.

Sora smiled. "And love. Her name is Aphrodite, and she has a son named Cupid. He shoots people with arrows, golden ones, and when the arrow hits them, they fall in love."

"…Sora?"

"Yes, my lovely?"

"Do you believe it?"

Sora chuckled again. "No. I think its all nonsense, really. Excuses for why the world is the way it is."

"No." Kairi said, her big ocean eyes were solemn. "I mean, do you believe in love?"

Sora looked at her closely. "Yes." He said after awhile. "After all, isn't it happening?"

"Yes." She smiled. "It is." Her memory was complete. She closed her eyes again, running through the past hours they'd spent together. They drank, laughed, kissed, and held each other. They sang songs and danced slowly. Then, they'd kissed one last time and she'd fallen asleep in his bed, while he took up his post in a chair across the room. She remembered all of it. She had a perfect memory of the first time she'd caught herself falling in love, down to his smell and how his eyes crinkled when he smiled.

It was happening.

**3****rd**** POV, the Forest**

Zack met Axel, Ventus, and Terra at the edge of the forest. "Hey, mates." He said nonchalantly.

"Did you find anything out about the layout of the place?" Axel asked.

"'Course. I know my whole way around the servant's quarters, and last night the little lady said something about the dungeons being down the hall. I think I got it covered."

"Dungeon, eh?" Axel said, rubbing the red stubble on his chin thoughtfully. "That's interesting."

"What's interesting?" Ven asked, confused.

"If there's a dungeon, that's where Xion is."

"Xion? The princess?"

"Aye. Not only is she the princess, she's Roxas' betrothed."

"I thought as much." Terra mumbled.

"What do you mean?" Zack asked, turning to look at the brunette.

"Why become a pirate just for honor? Seems like a dishonor to me. Hollow Bastion has a powerful Militia. They could spare a troop for a rescue mission. But supposing they refused? Would you go out of your way and give up a throne to save some brat you never met? No. There's much more to it than that."

Axel nodded sadly. "The Captain hasn't been right since she was captured. She's his only hope. I've known him for years, and I've never seen him as happy as he is when he's speaking of her."

"You knew him before he was a pirate?" Ven asked.

"Yeah. We go way back."

"Say, Axel, how did you become a pirate anyways?" Terra asked, lacing his fingers behind his head.

Axel started to make his way down the path. "Not a very happy tale there, lads."

"When has anyone's story been a happy tale?" Zack said, loping up easily beside him.

Ven and Terra followed suit, nodding in agreement.

"True." Axel sighed. "Well… My father was a rich man. He was actually the Captain of the Royal Guard in Hollow Bastion. He had a wife, she was a very well-to-do madam, and insanely jealous. My father got so tired of her henpecking; he went to a brothel for some more pleasurable company. My mother was a whore there, her name was Giselle. He saw Giselle for many nights; he paid double her fee and tipped lavishly. He became her best customer. One night when he came to her, she was crying. When he asked what was wrong, she just cried and cried. He held her and rocked her, until she finally told him what was troubling her. She was pregnant. He flew into a rage, and beat her almost senseless. Then he left. The next morning the owner of the brothel found her lying in the floor, clutching her stomach. They took her to a physician right away but it was too early in her pregnancy to tell anything. But they found no signs of miscarriage, so they sent her on her way. The wife of my father, I guess you could call her a stepmother of sorts, found out about his little bastard child and demanded that the child's mother was brought to the house. My father refused. She threatened and nagged until finally, he relented. He then went and bought Giselle from the brothel's owner and brought her home. The next morning when he left for guard duties, his wife tied my mother up in the basement and had a servant lash her with a whip. Then they left her there. They brought her food and water, enough to sustain her and the child growing inside her, but she was not untied for nine months. When she began to scream in labor pains, only then was she allowed to come upstairs." He stopped for a moment, focusing on the path before him. Taking a deep breath, he started again.

"When the child was born, the midwife cleaned him up and gave him to his mother. She cried and laughed. They were given a small house on the edge of my father's lands and allowed to stay there until the child turned twelve. Those seven years were not easy. Giselle stayed a whore to my father and a punching bag to his wife. She worked as her personal servant in their house and often returned home crying, with black eyes and bruises everywhere. Then when the nights came, he'd show up at the doorstep. Giselle would usher her little boy into his room and tuck him in, maybe sing him a song. And then as she left, she'd pray and pray he didn't hear what was going on in the other room. When the boy turned twelve, Giselle sent him out to collect strawberries, so she could make him a trifle for his birthday. When he returned, she was lying on the floor, dead. She'd been beaten to death, and judging by the way her skirts were in tatters and pushed up to her hips, she was raped as well. The little boy ran screaming to the big house, to tell his father what had been done. He got there, and he saw him burning a bloody jacket. He slunk away back to his house. He dug a grave; it was a tough job for such a small boy. When he was done, he dragged his mother to the grave and put her in as gently as he could. He prayed for her, and sang her favorite song."

The other three boys stared at the older man, spellbound.

"Well, go on then!" Zack wheedled. "What happened next?"

"Hush, Z." Terra said. "It can't be an easy story to tell. You don't have to say more, mate."

"Well, I've started, ain't I? Might as well finish." Axel said. He took a deep breath and continued.

"I committed my first murder when I was twelve years old. I snuck into my father's house, with a knife my mother kept next to her bed." He pulled a knife from its sheath at his hip. "This one." It was a nine inch blade, wicked sharp, with a plain leather cord wrapping the handle. "I snuck past the servants, and waited till he climbed into bed. When I heard him snoring, I crept out and stood next to him. I tapped him awake, and shoved a piece of cotton into his mouth so he couldn't make a sound. I leaned very close, and whispered to him. 'This is for my mother.' I said. Then I cut his neck. I ran out of the room, making my way for the door. His bloody wife saw me, with my red knife. She screamed. I ran and ran. I hid in our house until the guards came and got me. They took me to the castle, made me plead my case to the Queen and King. They were going to execute me for murder, but Roxas and Sora took up for me. They begged them not to kill me. They asked them to make me an indentured servant, and put me into their service. Their parents agreed. The twins saved my life. And when Roxas wanted to rescue Xion, Sora agreed. I had to follow them. Maybe I could repay the debt and save them."

Terra nodded and motioned for the other two to say nothing. They walked in silence back to the ship.

**Okay. Now you have Axel's story. Sorry for the wait. I was trying to decide if I should fix some of the chapters up, but I guess I'll leave it until I know what exactly to change it to. I hate the Namixas scenes. They piss me off. I will probably delete those and fix them back up. **

**Anyways. REVIEW! **


	16. Tomorrow Night

**Hey! Thank you so much to the people who reviewed, faved, and alerted last chapter. I appreciate it! **

**Damien8D : Thank you! Here's your update, and here's a cookie!**

**AKAAkira : I agree. But I'm too lazy to go back and fix it.. Ya know? If it starts really bothering me, I will though. And I'm sorry, but the action's gonna have to wait till next chapter. I gotta add some stuff in here before I can get to that part. I'M SORRY! **

**a-nobodyXIII: Thanks! Here goes the update, I'm sorry about the no fighting scenes… next chapter. I had to explain some plot things… UGH, JUST READ! (:**

**Misfortune XIII: I dunno if I've ever mentioned this, but I love getting reviews from you ;) Thank you for liking my back story. Annnddd I'm not gonna let anything go about Xion's issue… You'll see (:**

**Look out for chapter 16, y'all! Here it comes!**

Acantha smiled, reclining on one of her many plush russet sofas. She sipped on a goblet of wine and closed her eyes. She was thinking about the War, and how wonderfully it was going. She has wiped out the armies of the Pride Lands, Agrabah, and most recently, the heathen tribes of Deep Jungle. Neverland was giving her a bit of trouble. That damn Peter Pan! She'd gotten Hook onto her side, with a few bribes and empty promises, but now, he's dead because of that ragtag group of children! CHILDREN! Standing in the way of the great Acantha! It was ridiculous. She frowned. At least the Olympic Coliseum had been destroyed. If she could get Hercules to join the cause, now that would be something.

She was coming very close to her goal. She'd decided to take out the easiest lands first, such as Traverse Town, the Dwarf Woodlands, and the Enchanted Dominon. They were long gone, overrun with her soldiers. Now all that she really had to worry about were Atlantica, Hollow Bastion, and Neverland. She was also ready to take over the Castle of Dreams, and make it her new palace. It was much grander, and made more of a statement than this one, with its dankness and whatnot. She was very proud of the fact that she had just gotten Halloween to transfer their loyalties to her. The Queen of Hearts also had given Acantha use of her card soldiers. Her Militia was growing. All she needed now was Cheng Gong, the master of it all. The man with the secret to make her an Empress. She got up slowly. It was time to see how her dear Xion was doing…

**On board the **_**Luminata, **_**3****rd**** Person**

Larxene stood on the deck, one of Axel's sable cloaks wrapped around her against the cold. _Where are they? _She thought. _They should be back by now. _

"Looking for Axel?" A voice said behind her.

Larxene turned to see Zexion coming up behind her, two steaming mugs of coffee in his hands. He handed one to her.

She took it and took a deep swig. "Thanks. And yes, I am."

"The whole crew talks about you two." Zexion said, leaning on the railing. "You're quite a scandalous couple."

She smiled. "It'll be even more scandalous if we get married, won't it?" She said, winking. "Mrs. Axel Freegard, Pirate Lass Extraordinaire." She giggled into her coffee.

Zexion smiled. "Speaking of Mr. Axel Freegard, I do believe he's coming over that hill."

Larxene scanned the horizon, and sure enough, she saw that shock of red hair that stood out a mile away. She smiled.

"Well." Zexion said. "I'll go read, and leave you two to your greeting." He patted her back and slipped away.

**xXxXxXxXxXx**

The four men made their way to the ship, clambering aboard noisily.

"Hello, Lar-lar!" Axel called, waving.

She set her mug down and sauntered up to him, sliding easily into his arms. "Hello." She said, burrowing her face into his neck. He kissed the top of her head and looked up to see Sora and Kairi coming out of Sora's cabin.

"All hail the conquering heroes!" Sora called, flinging his arms wide. "How went the mission, lads?"

"Lovely!" Terra said, sweeping an elegant bow.

Sora laughed. "I can tell by the lipstick stains there on Zack's collar that his night was _quite_ lovely."

Kairi giggled. "What did you find out?" She asked.

Zack smiled. "Let's wait till the Captain wakes up, shall we? I hate repeating myself."

**XxXxXxXxXxX**

Roxas reclined on a plush velvet sofa, looking very piratesque. A wild glint was in his eyes as Zack strode into the room. Zack stood in front of the captain, with Sora, Terra, Ven, and Axel leaning against walls.

"Tell me, lad!" Roxas said, holding his arms out towards his new crew member. "What goes on in the Beast's Castle?"

"Well, Captain," Zack began, grinning. "I assure you the service is impeccable."

Roxas chuckled. "Very good." He said, offering Zack an approving smile. "But what of the Great Whore's plans?"

"Oh, those." Zack said, inspecting a fingernail. "The young lass I, er, spoke with, shall we say, gave me much information. There is a ball to be held, tomorrow night. All of the monarchs of all the lands will be there, even the notorious Peter Pan and Hercules."

"A hero's ball?" Roxas inquired. "What use is that? I can't just show up at a ball! I'd be caught immediately."

"That's the great part, mate." Zack said. "It's a masque."

"A masque, eh?" Roxas crossed his ankles across the arm of his sofa. "Interesting…"

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

"Larxene?" Axel whispered, slipping into the dark room. He could just barely make out Larxene's silhouette from behind her dressing screen. He closed the door carefully, and tiptoed across the room.

"You don't have to be quiet." Larxene's voice said, cutting through the silence. "I know you're here."

"I like to add an air of mystery to my arrival." Axel said, giving her a little half smile.

She smirked. "Mystery, eh?" She said. "Well. Nothing says mysterious like a note pinned to one of my corsets saying 'I'm coming to see you tonight'."

"Yeah, well. I tried."

Larxene laughed softly. "Unlace me, will you?" she asked, stepping out from behind the screen. She displayed her corseted back to him.

Axel stepped forward and began to untie the laces. "You know," he began. "I've been thinking."

"A dangerous pastime." Larxene sang softly.

"I know." Axel smiled. "But I have." He untied the last lace, giving Larxene's shoulder a light kiss as he did so.

"And about what?" Larxene asked, smiling at the kiss. She kept her back to him as she pulled off her corset and slipped on a nightdress.

"Us." He said, turning her around and fitting his arms around her.

"What about us?" She said, pulling back slightly. A smile flitted about her lips.

"Don't be coy." Axel said, pulling her back to him again. He rested his chin on the top of her head. "When we get out of this Larxene… I have plans for us."

"Plans?"

"Yeah. I want to settle down. Make babies." He looked down at her and wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. "Marry you. Not necessarily in that order."

Larxene looked up at him, her eyes growing hard. "You know me better than that, Axel." She said quietly. "I'm no mother. I won't be tied down and chase a pack of brats for the rest of my life."

"Don't you love me?"

"How can you even ask me that?" Larxene asked dangerously. She pulled completely out of his arms and stepped back. "Of course I love you. I love you more than I ever thought was possible to love. And I appreciate you asking me to marry you, but if you want a sweet little trophy wife and a few picturesque children, I suggest you hightail it. I saw what my mom went through. And I won't be her. I want to have fun and when I die, I don't want to be an old, old lady warm in my bed. I want to go out giving my all to something. And marriage? Marriage doesn't offer that."

"Do you know how crazy you sound?" Axel asked quietly. "You sound like you have a death wish. Do you want to die young, Larx?"

"No." she said, lifting her head up so her eyes were level with his. "I want to die a pirate."

**xXxXxXxXxXx**

Namine stood on the deck of the _Luminata_, staring out at the sea like she so often did. She watched the blue black waves hit the hull of the ship, listened to their sounds. She breathed in a breath of the cool night air, letting it fill her lungs. She exhaled slowly, almost reluctant to let it go.

"Hey."

She turned around to see one of the new crew members sauntering up to her lazily. His teeth flashed in the dark. _Ven. _She thought that was his name. "Hello." She responded, giving him a weak smile in return.

Ven leaned on the rails next to her. "I love the ocean, don't you?" He asked conversationally.

Namine's mind flashed back to when she and Kairi had fallen from the ship, that deep dark plunge. She remembered Roxas' hands holding her, pulling her back to the surface.

"Yes." She replied, pushing all thoughts of Roxas to the back of her mind. "Yes, it's quite lovely."

Ven smiled at her. "I don't believe we've had the chance of formally meeting yet, have we? I'm Ventus Eastman. But you can call me Ven." He stuck out a hand for Namine to shake.

She took it, smiling in spite of herself. He was so boyish, so sweet. "Namine Arcos." She replied.

"Namine." Ven repeated. "That's a right lovely name, that is."

Namine blushed. "Th-thank you." She whispered.

Ven took her hand in his and raised it to his lips. "_Enchantée, mademoiselle." _He said, winking at her as he kissed her knuckles.

Namine shivered, and she didn't think it was from the light breeze that was ruffling her skirts. "What does that mean?" She asked timidly, ignoring her growing blush. "I've never heard that language."

Ven's smile grew wider. "It means I think you're beautiful." He whispered.

**Acantha's Castle, Dungeons**

"Move along, you stupid girl!" Acantha said sharply to the little serving maid in front of her.

Audrey shook in her slippers, terrified of the dungeon below her. She could smell the stink of rotting flesh, and feel the fear others who'd dared to oppose Acantha must have felt.

The Queen gave Audrey a little shove. "Move!" she commanded.

Audrey quickly swallowed her fear and rushed headlong down the stairs, fearing to excite her mistress's anger. The dungeon emitted a faint green glow, every step chilled her to the bone.

They made it to the door and Acantha pulled an intricately wrought silver key from her reticule. She slipped it into the lock on the door and the heavy door swung open, as if of its own accord. Acantha swept into the room, leaving Audrey to timidly tiptoe in after her.

Audrey set the tray of food she was holding down on a small table at the door. She got a good look at her surroundings. The walls were cold and slick with damp and God only knew what else, the floor was filthy. The place smelled as thought it had never been clean. She suspected the Beast had taken more care of the place than Acantha had. She pressed a fist into her mouth to smother her shriek of horror. Not only were there human skeletons chained to the walls, but what looked like a living skeleton lay on a stone slab. Acantha was sitting next to the skeleton, stroking its face.

"Wake up, Xion dear." She sang. "Time to eat!"

The skeleton's eyes slowly slid open, revealing brilliantly blue irises, a contrast to the gray pallor of the rest of its face. Audrey gasped as the skeleton turned its head towards her. It was a girl. A young girl, no older than Audrey herself. Her eyes were sunken in, her cheekbones stood out sharply. She looked starved and sick.

"Bring the food, Audrey."

Audrey obeyed Acantha, bringing over the tray of food Acantha herself had prepared. She set down the tray on the slab near the skeleton-girl and backed away slowly.

"Here, my lovely." Acantha crooned. "Open those lips."

The Queen spooned warm broth into the girl's open mouth. She patted the dribble with a ivory napkin. "There." She said, smiling. "That was tasty, was it not? I made it myself."

The girl's blue eyes widened in horror.

"Oh!" Acantha laughed. "It's not poison, you goose! Don't be silly. It's simply truth potion. I'd forgotten I still had the recipe, I should have used it long ago."

Xion struggled to make words. "Y-you bitch." She whispered.

Audrey gasped. Any minute now, the Queen would summon in guards and have the girl executed on the spot for such an insult!

But she didn't. Acantha laughed. "It works!" she crowed delightedly. "Now, answer me this: Where is your father?" She sad each word slowly, crystal clear.

"I don't know." Xion responded, mimicking Acantha's clarity.

Acantha's face darkened. "Well." She said, standing up. "I see our past six months together has been a waste." She turned on her heel and walked from the room, motioning Audrey to come with her.

_I'll make an example of her._ Acantha thought. _No one defies me. I'll kill her. Tomorrow night._

**Did you like it? I'm sorry I didn't get the fight scene you asked for in, but next chapter, I promise!**

**So, give me a rating on how good you think my overall plot is. 1 being worst, 10 being the best. I do really want to know, so don't think you're gonna hurt my feelings! If you give me a low rating, tell me what I could do to make it better. Kay? Thanks y'all!**

**~RUNWAY**


	17. Waiting for Midnight

**I don't remember exactly who all reviewed, and as much as I love you all, I don't feel like looking it up. **

**But for the children who gave me an 8 or above for plot, TTHHAANNKK YOUU. (: **

**And for the one child who saw the Beauty and the Beast reference last chapter, I love you for that (:**

**ON WITH THE STORY. **

"Roxas." Sora said, his voice growing dangerous. "You knew from the beginning that Acantha wanted nothing to do with those girls. Her family was just in her way. She couldn't do anything with a traveling troupe of gypsies. So she slaughtered them."

"No!" Roxas yelled, slamming his fists down. "There had to be a reason!"

"There was no reason, brother!" Sora replied, matching his volume to his twin's. "You were fooling yourself! Trying to come up with a reason to hope that Xion is still alive! And for all you know, she could be dead."

"She's not dead!" Roxas was screaming now. He swiped his hand across his desk, sending books and bottles of ink crashing to the floor. "I love her!"

"You LOVED her!" Sora screamed back, stabbing a dagger down onto the wood of the desk at the word 'loved' to exaggerate his point. "You stopped loving her as soon as you set eyes on Namine! You just feel guilty about it, because you promised Xion!"

"No!" Roxas bellowed. "You know nothing! You don't know me!"

"I do know you!" Sora yelled. "You're my brother! And I do know you! You're in love with Namine Daniela Arcos! The Gypsy Rose! You love her, Roxas!"

Roxas stared at Sora, breathing heavily. "I love Xion." He said, his voice dropping to below a whisper.

"Even if that were true," Sora said, speaking slowly and clearly. "Even if that were true, I can't believe you would take my love from me for your own happiness." He laughed mirthlessly. "You know what, Rox? Father was right. You're too selfish for anything. Always thinking about yourself. Always living in the past. Xion's in the past. And there's a beautiful girl on this ship who loves you. And you're going to throw it away to keep your childish dream of your first love. Selfish bastard." He wrenched his dagger out of Roxas's desk, and stalked out of the room.

When the door slammed, Roxas sank to the floor. _He's right. _He thought bitterly. And right then and there, the illustrious Captain Roxas, Terror of the Seas, the Royal Pirate, cried.

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

Sora threw the door of Kairi's room open, not even bothering to knock. Kairi stood before him in her petticoat, her hands frozen at the laces of her corset. He stood in the doorway, staring at her.

"Sora?" she asked, lowering her hands from her back. "Sora, what's the matter?"

He walked towards her, and put his fingertips gently on her hips. "Kairi." He breathed.

"Sora, you're scaring me." She said, her blue eyes searching his. "What is it?" she lightly draped her arms around his shoulders.

"I love you." He said.

"Wh- what?" She whispered. He couldn't mean that. It wasn't possible.

"I love you." He said it again. "I love you, Kairi. I love you. I love you. I love you. I never want you to leave. I don't want you to be taken from me."

"What? Sora, what d'you mean? I'm not going anywhere." She said, drawing away from him a little.

He pulled her back to him. "No!" he said, as if her pulling away from him physically hurt him. "Don't leave."

"I'm not leaving." She assured him, touching his cheek.

He closed his eyes against the tears that were building up. "_I love you._" He whispered, so low she could barely hear him.

She pressed her forehead to his. "I think I love you too."

**xXxXxXxXxXx**

Night fell heavily over the _Luminata_. The sky had turned the darkest of midnight blues, and the stars were barely shining. The moon didn't even chance to grace them with a bit of her light. She had completely disappeared from the sky.

"No moon." Zexion commented quietly. "Bad for business."

"Shuddup, Zex." Demyx said, running a hand through his spikes. "You're dressed as a damn jester. Be cheerful."

Zexion looked down at his outfit miserably. It was covered with stripes and bells, the whole shebang. He glowered at the now laughing Demyx. "This is all Marluxia's fault." He mumbled walking away. Next time they plan to crash a royal masquerade ball, HE was going shopping for the costumes!

Roxas strutted out on deck, his eyes extremely depressed in contrast to his wildly grinning face. He was dressed from head to toe in black, a wide brimmed hat with a white plume was pulled down over his forehead, a black mask covered the rest of the upper half of his face.

"Who are you supposed to be?" Zexion asked glumly.

Roxas unsheathed his sword and made a few stabbing moves at the air. "I am the bandit, Zorro!" He cried in a thick Spanish accent. "I am the best fighter and the most amazing thief! All love me, and those who do not…" he stopped mid stab, and turned slowly, sword extended to Zexion's throat. "Die." He finished simply.

Zexion smiled in spite of himself. "Very good, sir." He said, rolling his eyes slightly.

"Just good?" Roxas called incredulously. "What do you mean 'good'? I am amazing! I am-" He cut off abruptly and stared at the door of Namine and Kairi's cabin.

Zexion and Demyx turned and looked in the direction of Roxas's stare, mouths dropping open.

Namine, Kairi, and Larxene stepped out of the room, smiling sweetly.

"Lar.. Larxene?" Demyx asked, disbelievingly.

The blonde smiled. "In the flesh." She replied. She was dressed as an Agrabahian belly dancer, with a pair of baggy shiny pants bound tight at the ankle and waist, a strip of fabric wound around her breasts, a translucent veil hanging from her face, covering the curve of her lips – All in silver. Tiny diamonds studded her stomach and silver bangles tinkled on her arms.

Axel strode out from behind Demyx, popping him in the back of the head. "Shut your mouth." He said, also staring at Larxene.

Zexion smiled at the expression on Axel's face, but he was more concerned with Roxas's. His mouth was set in a nonchalant line, but his eyes were dancing and disbelieving. Zexion followed his gaze, and saw that it rested on Namine.

Marluxia had decided it would be wonderful to place Namine and Kairi in traditional Gypsy Rose dress. The two girls were in long flowing linen skirts, Namine's midnight blue, and Kairi's wine red. They both wore stomach-baring white poplin shirts with a neckline that bared their chests and shoulders. They had gold sashes with gold coins jingling from them, and small slippers to match. A headscarf of the same gold material as the sash tied around their foreheads.

"N-namine…" Roxas whispered. "You look… beautiful."

Namine smiled at him politely, but didn't offer anything else.

Sora arrived in a prince costume, complete with a silver filigree crown. He scooped Kairi up in his arms and spun her around, laughing. "You look gorgeous!" he said, kissing her cheek.

Ven, Terra, and Zack walked out of their cabins, dressed in Lincoln green as bandits worthy of Robin Hood's outlaws, Ven's complete with his trademark shoulder armor.

"Namine?" Ven asked, looking her over carefully. "You look great!"

Namine giggled as he kissed her hand and twirled her around. She felt Roxas's eyes on her, saw him glare at Ven, but she didn't care.

_See?_ She thought. _See this? This is how you're supposed to treat a girl, Roxas. Like this. _

"Well." Axel said, sensing the tenseness in the air. "Are we ready?"

Everyone nodded, the crew's eyes were bright with anticipation. Tonight would be the greatest action they'd had in six months.

"Let's go, then." Roxas said, motioning for Demyx to bring the ship to shore. "I'm coming, Xion." He whispered to himself.

**Queen's Castle, 3****rd**** POV**

Acantha twirled in front of her mirror, laughing gleefully. Her ladies in waiting were all standing around her, dressed to the nines as the Seven Deadly Sins. But Acantha made them all look to be wearing burlap sacks. Her deep red velvet dress with its five foot long train and scandalous neckline embodied the sin she was: Lust. Her ruby and garnet jewelry glistened against her pale skin like drops of blood.

She flicked her hand as someone knocked on the door, motioning for one of her ladies to open it. A page bowed deeply before he spoke. "The guests are arriving, Madame." He said.

Acantha smiled at her reflection one last time. "Ladies?" she said coyly. "Follow me." She turned to the page. "And as for you, tell Muerta and Decessa I said to get her ready."

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

The party was large, the party was grand, the party was in full swing. The regulation russet brocade of all the curtains and cushions and rugs had been traded for purple, the color of ultimate royalty. Silver stars and gold streamers hung from the ceiling, giving the place an almost surreal look. Every guest was dressed and masked, with the exception of Peter Pan and his Lost Boys, and Hercules. They seemed to be angry they were here, and wore stubborn glares.

Roxas and his crew and the two girls fit right in. They were all masked, and all subtly armed to the teeth. Even Namine and Kairi had a dagger in their bodices.

"Remember the plan!" Roxas called to his crew as they began to go their separate ways.

They all nodded, and turned off. Soon, only Namine and Roxas were left in the doorway.

"Namine." Roxas said quietly.

She nodded politely, but not invitingly. Roxas put a hand on her waist. The orchestra began to play, their instruments emitting a haunting waltz.

"Dance with me?" He asked.

She looked at him through cold eyes for what seemed like ages. Then, finally, almost imperceptibly, she nodded.

He grinned and whisked her away as the waltz began to change into a spirited gavotte. They whirled around and around, Roxas lifting her high up and then dipping her to the floor periodically. In spite of herself, Namine felt a slow and wide smile spread over her face. She tilted her head back and laughed as he lifted her up and twirled her around.

Roxas smiled, even laughed. He twirled her around and stepped with her, teaching her the dance. This was the first bit of happiness he had felt in months. It wasn't a façade, it was real. It was amazing! This girl, this fragile blonde imp, was enough to take away his thoughts of everything. It was perfect.

The music changed again, and slowed. Instead of a whirling gavotte, the dance had become a slow habanera. Namine's eyes lit up. She knew this dance. Her father and mother had danced to it. It was slow, but seductive.

She took Roxas's hand and stepped away from him, they moved around each other in a circle. She quickly changed feet, putting her right in front of her left. Then slowly turned. One of his hands went on her waist; the other still had her hand. She turned her back to him in time with the music, keeping his hand on her waist. He spun her, dipped her while holding one thigh with his hand. As he brought her up, he held her there for a moment, ignoring the fact that the music had already progressed. He stared her in the eyes and moved closer.

The feeling in his stomach was undeniable. Sora was right. He was in love with her. He had to be. As he looked into her cerulean eyes, he knew that. He forgot Xion, Acantha, his past, his present. All he wanted to think about was the future. The future with her.

"Roxas?" she asked timidly.

And just like that, the spell was broken. He abruptly let go of her, carefully setting her legs down and then walking away, leaving her in the middle of the dance floor, totally alone.

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

Acantha danced up and down the dance floor with her partner, laughing happily. Every now and then she'd look at the clock, and her heart would swell a little. At exactly midnight, Muerta would bring out Xion, and Acantha would show everyone what it meant to defy Acantha, the Empress of All.

She looked at the clock.

11:55.

She smiled.

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

Muerta and Decessa roughly shoved Xion into a black silk dress. It was short and tight, she could scarcely breathe in it.

When Muerta heard her gasp, she cackled. "No need to worry about that, dearie." She said cruelly. "You won't be breathing much longer anyway!" The crones dissolved into giggles.

Xion ignored them. She closed her eyes, turning her limbs limp. She let the women shove her hands into black lace wristlets and her feet into high heeled shoes. She didn't move unless they put her into a position. She felt worthless, miserable. But a tiny bubble of hope formed in the back of her mind.

_Soon, it would end. _

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

He ran down winding passages and through corridors, his sword at his side. It was his job to fetch Xion for Roxas, let him check her out, and then send her to the ship with Larxene. It was 11:57, and he had a bad feeling about midnight. For some odd reason, everything always happened at midnight. Cinderella for example.

He heard the sounds of cackling coming through a hallway he'd just almost ran past. He quietly backtracked, and slipped into the hallways as silently as possible.

"Come along, Xion. It's time!" a decrepit voice said.

_Xion? _That must be her. He unsheathed his sword and stood at the wall. He could hear three sets of footsteps coming down the hallway. A figure carrying a torch stepped out in front of him, in the torchlight Ven could tell she was an old woman. An evil old woman.

He drew a dagger out of his doublet and slashed her across the throat. She gasped and crumpled to the floor, her torch flickering out as she dropped it. Another woman screamed and ran to the dead figure in the floor. Ven slashed her throat too, leaving them dead in a heap.

The third figure was against the wall, shivering.

"Xion?" Ven asked, sword at the ready. "Xion? Is that you?" He picked up the fallen torch and lit it with a match from his pocket. As the light flared up he saw a malnourished girl huddled against the wall, shielding her face.

"Xion?" he asked again, stepping closer.

She peeked at him through her fingers. He saw her eyes widen and her hands dropped from her face. "It's you." She whispered in a hoarse, raspy voice. She rose up slowly and walked towards him, shakily, almost as if she hadn't been on her feet in awhile. She stumbled, and Ven rushed to catch her with his free arm.

She looked up at him and touched his cheek. "I thought you were dead." She whispered.

"What?" Ven asked, confused. "What're you talking about?"

"Acantha… she said she'd killed you. But she was lying! Oh she was lying, and now you're here!" She was crying into his shoulder, gripping him tightly with her tiny, bird-like arms.

Ven was silently having a heart attack. Who was this girl? Was she Xion? Was her mind affected? What was going on?

Xion looked up at him and stood up on her own. She took his face in her hands and looked him in the eyes. "I'm so glad you're here." She whispered. Then she closed her eyes and kissed him with every fiber of her being.

**xXxXxXxXxXxXx**

Roxas ran down the halls of the castles, making his way to the dungeons. He was going to check on Xion and tell her he loved her, and then he planned on having everyone subdue all the soldiers/guards in the place while he took Acantha hostage and negotiated the entire Xion-for-twins plan.

Which he had told Sora was no longer the actual plan.

Shrugging off the guilt of lying to his brother, he focused on the task he had set before him. He heard whispering coming from a hall, one definitely male, and one definitely female. He turned the corner quickly, hoping and praying to every god or goddess he knew of that it would be her. Please let it be her!

He skidded to a halt, right in front of an embracing couple. As their lips broke apart, he got a good look at them.

No… It couldn't be.

He pulled his rapier out of its sheath. "You bastard!" He yelled. "And you bitch!"

**Y'all. This is so long… it's not even funny. I can't even keep writing. But I really wanna give y'all something to read… and I'm home sick with strep throat… so I should have the next one up tomorrow! **

**PeacelovemusicREVIEW. **

**~DEADRUNWAY**


	18. Selfish Bastard

Ven dropped his hands from Xion's waist, dodging Roxas's attack. He unsheathed his own sword and parried every blow Roxas threw at him.

Xion was against the wall again, looking back and forth between Roxas and Ven, trying to discern what was going on. Every time their swords hit each other, she gave a little whimper and cowered against the cold stone.

"I can't believe you!" Roxas bellowed, swinging his rapier at the other boy.

Ven dodged it and swung back. "It was a misunderstanding!"

"Misunderstanding my ass! You knew who she was!" Roxas knocked Ven's sword out of his hand and pointed his rapier at his throat.

"We're on the same side, dammit!" Ventus roared.

"I don't consort with people like you!" Roxas said dangerously.

"People like me, eh?" Ven chuckled humorlessly. "You're the one who's in love with another, and just trying to rid yourself of her by rescuing her!" he pointed at Xion. "You selfish bastard! If you really loved this woman, you'd tell her that you no longer love her, instead of dreaming of something that's no longer there!"

Xion sucked in her breath. It couldn't be.

Roxas slashed the side of Ven's face, leaving a bloody line about three inches long. "Never insult me like that again." He said dangerously. "You work for me."

"I work for an asshole of a man who hangs onto childish dreams because he can't take the real world!"

Roxas raised his rapier as if he was going to slash his other cheek, when the clock began to strike midnight. They looked at each other quickly, and Roxas set off at a dead run, calling back over his shoulder, "Stay with her!"

**xXxXxXxXxXx**

Acantha smiled out on the crowd. "Ladies and gentlemen!" she called. "Friends and enemies!" She spread her arms apart. "Thank you for coming. Tonight, we are not only here to celebrate my Empire," she paused for a moment, accepting the scattered applause. "We are here so I may be able to show those of you who may prove to be disloyal in the future, exactly what it means to defy me." She gestured towards the doorway behind her. "Open the doors!"

A few pages began to open the huge gilded doors to reveal three black hooded figures, two taller ones on either side of a shorter one.

Roxas stood off to the side, his rapier at the ready. Larxene, Axel, and Demyx were surrounding the guards on duty; Namine and Kairi were near the doors.

The hooded figures stepped forward and in front of Acantha. "This," she called out to the crowd, flinging an accusing finger at the smallest of the three hoods. "This you see before you is a young woman who defied me for six months. And now she must pay the cost." She sat in her throne behind her and folded her hands primly in her lap. "Unveil her."

The three figures drew swords from their cloaks and ripped their hoods off. The crowd murmured in confusion as Sora, Terra, and Zack all screamed in unison, "NOW!"

The crew began killing and stabbing every guard in sight. People ran everywhere, screaming and tripping. Peter and his Lost Boys began to join in, picking up guards and flinging them against walls, or engaging in one-sided aerial combat.

In the midst of the confusion, Acantha tried to run through a small servant's door behind her throne, but Roxas caught her first. He pressed a knife to her throat. "Hello, Acantha dear." He whispered. Acantha screamed and tossed her head and writhed but Roxas had her held so tightly she could scarcely breathe, let alone break free.

Keeping the knife pressed to her neck, Roxas whispered in her ear again. "You better take us somewhere private, Your Highness."

**xXxXxXxXxXx**

Roxas followed Acantha through winding hallways, always keeping his knife against her and her arms twisted tightly behind her back.

"That hurts, you imp!" She snapped. "Release me at once!"

Roxas chuckled. "You're in no position to be making orders, Acantha." He snarled right back. "You keep walking."

She took him down a few more hallways until finally they were at the door of a small bare room, furnished with two chairs and a table. He flung her inside and slammed the door shut. She inched her way into a corner, whimpering softly.

"Sit down." He said politely, pulling a chair out from the table.

She stared at him, the moments before strong-willed determined woman dwindling before his eyes into a terrified rabbit.

He smiled mirthlessly. "So this is you, eh?" he said, pacing before her. "This is the great Acantha. A frightened, quivering, little girl." He laughed heartily.

She cowered, covering her face.

"Sit down, little girl!" Roxas crooned. "Have a seat." He walked over to her and offered her his hand.

She hid her face in the folds of her voluminous skirt, sobbing loudly.

"SIT DOWN, DAMN YOU!" He roared, tearing her skirt away from her face. "SIT!"

She slowly made her way to the chair, horrified and shaking. "Wha, what do you want from me?" she whispered as she lowered herself onto the seat.

"Vengeance." He said. He took his rapier out and swished it through the air.

Acantha flinched every time the blade cut through the air around them. "Vengeance?" she repeated, barely whispering.

"For what you did to Xion."

"It was necessary."

"Necessary? Scarring her and terrifying her? Mutilating her, mind and body, what was necessary?" he screamed.

"Yes."

Roxas laughed bitterly once again and threw the table against the wall.

Acantha screamed as the wood made contact with the cold stone wall. "What do you want from me?" she screamed yet again. "What? What can I give you?"

Roxas bent down to her level and forced her chin down so they were eye to eye. "I came here to offer you a trade. The Gypsy Roses for the Princess. But now? Hah, now I'm taking all 3 of them. You had no use for the twins anyway. You slaughtered their family for nothing. Just because you held the power. Am I right?" He forced her chin to nod, ignoring her brown eyes filling with tears. "I am not going to kill you, Acantha. Merely take back what is mine. But I swear on the graves of all the men you killed, if you EVER hurt anyone again, your life will pay the price."

He stood up abruptly. "I am not so low that I will kill a woman."

"That's fine." Acantha said softly. She looked up at him through her eyelashes. "Because I am low enough to kill a man." She reached inside her bodice and pulled a small dagger, quick as lightning, and before Roxas had the chance to do anything, she threw it.

**xXxXxXxXx**

Ven and Xion stood alone in the dark hallway. She was quivering, slumped down to her knees against the wall. Ven could feel her heart breaking as he stood on the other side of the hall.

"Xion," he whispered.

"Is it true?" she asked quietly, looking up at him. "He doesn't love me?"

Ven was at a loss for words. "He cares for you. He's been driving himself insane for months looking for you. But I'm not sure if he loves you the way you want him to."

Xion laughed quietly. "Did he ever? He's always been too reckless, too selfish. But he's strong. And I like that about him. I fell in love with him when I was just a child. I've grown so much in the last six months. I've felt my heart broken, sewn together, and then smashed again. And for what?"

Ven sighed. "I don't have the answer for that." He whispered, walking over and kneeling next to her. "But you're so strong. I just met you, and I can tell you that. You're amazing." He tenderly brushed a tendril of hair away from her face.

She caught his hand before he moved it away and looked him in the eyes. "Thanks." She whispered.

He patted her shoulder. "Anytime, princess."

**XxXxXxXxX**

Roxas dove out of the way at the last second. The knife whizzed by him cutting through his shirt and scraping his skin lightly, but only barely breaking the skin.

Acantha rose from her chair, pulling a sharply tipped hair pin out of her hair and held it like a dagger.

Roxas laughed. "You gonna kill me with a hair pin, dear?"

She smiled. "It's poisoned. With the venom of Parasite Cages. It'll kill you instantly."

Roxas merely smiled. "Come death, and welcome."


	19. Aftermath

**Okay, so I think I made everyone really mad when I did that cliffhanger last chapter. Sorry, dears! And I only got 4 reviews… that saddens me. And I've noticed that the more I go on, the more soap opera-ish this gets. And that annoys me. I would love to take it all down and fix it… But I'm TOO LAZY.**

**Did anyone get the Shakespeare reference last chappie? If you did, I love you. :D**

**Alright. Well here we go.**

Acantha poised her arm, ready to throw the hairpin into Roxas' neck, right into the small hollow at the base of his throat, just between his collarbones. She pulled back, smiling sweetly. Roxas just smiled back. If this was the way to go, then so be it. He closed his eyes.

_Bang! _

Roxas' eyes flew open, and he saw Acantha's eyes widen. Out of her mouth poured a small trickle of ruby blood, glinting almost black in the dim light. "How… dare… you…" she gasped. Her arms went slack, and she slumped to the floor. Her brown eyes went dead, their evil sparkle changing to a flat ugly color, the color of waterlogged branches. A flower of blood blossomed from her chest, leaking onto the floor and all over her dress.

Roxas looked behind him. At the door was Namine, her eyes squeezed shut and her arms outstretched and trembling. A revolver shook in her white hands, her knuckled even whiter from holding the firearm in a vice grip.

Roxas was on his feet in a flash. "Namine..?" He whispered.

She shook her head, her eyes still squeezed shut. He slowly and gingerly took her arm, lowering the gun. She went stiff and jerked the gun in front of her, towards him. The barrel was level with his throat. He took a step back. "It's me." He said. "It's Roxas. It's alright."

She opened her eyes and stared at him. Silvery tears pooled and spilled over. Her arms went slack and she dropped the gun to the floor. She wobbled, and her legs went out from under her.

Roxas grabbed her just before she hit the ground, and sank to the floor with her. She sobbed into his shirt, sobbed for everything. For happiness because he was safe, jealousy of Xion, guilt of taking a human life, and a terrible pleasure at the fact that she was dead. That pleasure mixed with the guilt and produced a horror so terrifying that she wanted to scream. And she did. She screamed and cried into Roxas' shoulder.

"It's over." He whispered. "It's all over."

_**xXxXxXx**_

Kairi and Sora and the rest of the crew stood in the middle of carnage. Dead bodies, ripped dresses, and blood were everywhere. The guests had revolted along with the guards, and the fight had ensued. Everyone now was either dead or had run.

Ventus emerged from a dark corridor. He was carrying Xion; she was feather light and all odd angles. Her bones seemed to poke out of her skin. Where her skin peeked out of her dress, he could see her skin was marbled with ivory and shiny pink scar tissue.

Terra and Zack ran up to him, eyes wide with concern.

The rest of the crew hung back, waiting for him to speak.

"Where's the Captain?" Zack asked.

Ven looked up. "You mean he didn't return?"

"No. He left with Acantha. Over an hour ago. How long does it take to stab a bitch?" Terra asked. "What the devil happened to your cheek? Catch a fight?"

"Yeah." Ven said, stroking his bleeding face. "Something along those lines."

"We lost Namine, too." Terra said.

"What?" Ven looked up sharply.

"Yeah, she's been gone for about fifteen minutes."

Ven opened his mouth, but cut off when he saw Sora coming towards them at a jog. "Xion?" he whispered. "She alright?"

"She's fine." Ven said. "Shook up, aye, and a wee bit heartbroken. But she'll survive."

The loud bang of a door slamming against a wall. Everyone's heads jerked up and stared as Roxas and Namine walked through the threshold. He was supporting her, and shaking himself.

"Rox!"

"Nami!"

"Captain!"

"Sir!"

"Namine!"

Various cries from various people, and two different names being called. But all of the cries basically meant the same thing: Thank God you're alive.

The two were crowded and kissed, hugged, and worried over. Namine smiled weakly.

"God, Namine." Kairi whimpered. "Where did you go? What happened?" She cried with her sister and held her, rocking back and forth like they did when they had nightmares when they were young.

Sora took their moment as an opportunity to lift Xion from Ven's arms and lay her down on the one table that hadn't been overturned.

Ventus stood there with his arms still buoyed, as if he was still trying to wrap his head around what happened, and hadn't realized that his arms were no longer full.

**God. This is short. And this entire story is SHIT. **

**Someone PLEASE FOR THE LOVE OF GOD give me ideas. I NEED. **


	20. The Beginning

Roxas stood over Xion. He traced the scars on her arms and shoulders, hating himself.

She looked at him, her eyes trying to focus. She watched as he sniffed back tears and kissed her hand.

"Is it true?" she whispered. "Is it true?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Roxas whispered, sinking onto his knees so he was eye level with her.

"I think you do, Rox." She whispered, smiling sadly. "Do you love me?"

"Yes."

"Roxas." She said. She reached over and ran a hand through his spikes. "Do you love her?"

He let loose a single sob. "Forgive me, Xion. I lied to you."

Xion kept smiling through the tears that were sliding down her face. She felt her heart breaking again and again, every breath she took seemed to break another piece off of it. It was killing her. But it would kill her even more to make him unhappy. He didn't deserve that. He'd denied his throne, spent the past 6 months of his life looking for her… He deserved something.

"So tell her." She said gently. "I'll bet she loves you too."

"I'm so sorry, Xion." Roxas said, standing over her.

She gripped his hand and looked at him in the eyes. "Don't be."

**xXxXxXxXx**

Terra, Zack, and Ven watched as Roxas bent down and kissed Xion's cheek. Ven had the crazy desire to walk over to her, wipe away her tears, and kiss away all her pain. He could practically feel the heartbreak she was radiating.

"Hey, mate." Terra said, waving a hand in front of Ven's face. "I know that look. You got it for that girl, eh?"

"She kissed me…" Ven mumbled.

Zack hooted. "Heeyy! Good job, young one!"

"She thought I was Roxas."

"Ooh…" Terra and Zack said simultaneously. "Bummer."

Ven was silent as he watched Roxas walk away from the table. "I'll be back." He muttered. He squared his shoulders and approached Xion.

**xXxXxXxXx**

Roxas walked towards Namine slowly. He could feel the sweat beading on his forehead. He was nervous, and fidgety. This took him by shock, because Roxas was not the man to be nervous with women.

But it was like Namine wasn't just a woman. She was THE woman. She was everything he felt he needed. He looked at her, and he knew he could be with her forever. He hadn't been like that with Xion. With Xion, it was all about hope. But with Namine… it was all about knowing. And he knew it would work. He knew he could love her.

He walked in front of her and took her hands in his. "Namine?" he asked quietly.

She looked at him, her eyes hopeful.

He knelt at her feet and bowed his head. "I'm sorry." He whispered. "I am so sorry, for every bit of discomfort, heartbreak, or pain that I put you through. I have been in love with you since I saved you from drowning. I have loved you for a long time, and I apologize."

Namine sank down to his level. "Don't apologize." She whispered. "I love you too."

**xXxXxXxXx**

Axel wrapped his arms around Larxene.

She looked over her shoulder at him and offered him a smile. "Yes?" she asked coyly.

He smiled. "Well. I figured since everyone else was doing it, now would be a good time." He turned her to face him, and he knelt in front of her. "Larxene Camille Rose Barron. You are the most infuriating and hateful woman I have met. But you are also the most loving and the most beautiful. I love you. And I want you and I to spend the rest of our lives getting to know the parts that we hide from other people. Marry me." He reached into his pocket and pulled out a simple pewter ring.

Larxene yanked him to his feet. "Axel Harlan Roy. You are the kindest person I have ever met. I love you too. Marry ME."

"I do." He said, and he bent his mouth to hers and kissed her deeply.

**xXxXxXxXx**

Ven stood next to Xion and stroked her face. "Hey." He said quietly.

She struggled to sit up.

"Whoa, whoa." He said. "Take it easy." He took her hand and put one hand at the small of her back and gently eased her up.

"Hey." She said, smiling.

He reached out and wiped a tear away. "You okay?" he asked.

She smiled sadly and nodded. She touched his face. "I'm doing a lot better." She said.

**xXxXxXxXx**

"Are we the only couple here that hasn't had some kind of tumultuous past with each other?" Sora asked, looking down at Kairi.

She laughed. "Tumultuous past?" she asked, grabbing his hand. "No. Tumultuous future? It's a possibility."

"Never." He said, catching her waist. "I will give you whatever you want, therefore no tumult is needed."

"Whatever I want, huh?" Kairi said, smiling.

"Whatever you want."

She wrapped her arms around his neck. "So kiss me."

"As you wish." He grinned.

**3 WEEKS LATER**

"Do you Axel; take this woman to be your wife as long as you both shall live?"

"I do."

"And do you Larxene; take this man to be your husband as long as you both shall live?"

"Hell yeah, I do."

"Then by the power vested in me by the kingdom of Hollow Bastion and as the captain of this ship, I pronounce thee, man and wife. Kiss the bride."

Axel and Larxene leaned together and kissed deeply.

Roxas closed his notebook with the vows written in them and smiled. "My work here is done." He said, walking away from the couple.

Namine caught him by his hands and pulled him close. He smiled, she was lovely in a flowy white dress and white lotus blossoms woven into her hair.

Demyx was playing his sitar and serenading the crew. The newlyweds were dancing in slow circles, smiling at each other.

Off to the side, Ven and Xion were talking in low voices. Ven moved his hand to under her chin, and kissed her cheek lightly. She smiled and pressed her forehead against his.

Terra nudged Zack. "Look at that, mate." He said, grinning.

Zack took a swig of his rum and looked over. "That's my man!" he said happily. "I taught him everything he knows!"

Sora and Kairi observed everyone quietly. "So… what now?" Kairi asked quietly.

"Now?"

"Yeah. Now that everything's done. Everything's okay again." She clarified.

"Well… I guess Roxas and I will go back to Hollow Bastion. And Xion will go back to the Land of Dragons. And that'll be it." He said, kissing the top of her forehead.

"That'll be it…" Kairi echoed, leaning her head on his chest.

The sun set across the water, turning the sky a pearly pink and orange sherbet hue. The air was cool, and the smell of lilies wafted across the water from a nearby island. Couples danced in slow circles while Demyx played a sweet ballad. It was as if, after such a long time, nothing could hurt them anymore. As if all was well in the world.

"Well… Maybe not it." Sora said. He pulled her close. "Maybe this is just the beginning."

"The beginning of what exactly?"

He bent down and kissed her mouth tenderly. "Of everything."

_Fin. _


End file.
